Budapest name history. Districts of Budapest on the map: the center and where to stay. Hungarian parliament building

I told you so much about Budapest, but only recently realized that I had not yet written about what the name of the capital means.

Correcting this omission! :)

Budapest was formed in 1873 as a result of the merger of three cities: Pest, located on the left, eastern side of the Danube River, Buda and Obuda, occupying the right, western bank.

According to legend, the name Buda comes from the name of Bleda, the elder brother and co-ruler of Attila, the leader of the Huns, who created a state that stretched from the Rhine to the Volga. Allegedly, Bleda, who arrived in the present Hungarian lands before Attila, named the former Roman city of Aquincum by its own name. When Attila found out about this, he in a rage killed his brother and ordered to call the city by his name. Another version of the name Attila is Etele, in the German version - Etzel (Etzel). This is how Attila is repeatedly mentioned in the medieval Germanic epic poem "The Song of the Nibelungs", and the city that appeared on the site of the Roman Aquincum was called Etzelburg by the Germanic settlers.

According to another version, it is worth taking into account the fact that at the time of the conquest of present Hungary by the Hungarians, numerous Slavic peoples lived here, and therefore many geographical names have Slavic roots. The name Buda may come from the Slavic word "water" and it indicates a large amount of thermal waters located here.

In addition, the name Buda was quite widespread during the Arpad dynasty (XI-XIV centuries), in the XI century there was a ruler named Buda in this region, so the city may have been named after him.

When the Hungarian king Bela IV decided to move the royal residence to one of the Buda hills, the name Buda migrated there, and those lands. what was called Buda, became known as Obuda, which means "Old Buda".

And now it's Pest's turn.

The first written historical records of Pest date back to 1148. According to one of the assumptions, the name comes from the Illyrian word meaning "kiln for roasting". The same means the name in the Old Church Slavonic language. During the Arpad dynasty, there were several large buildings on the banks of the Danube next to the current Elisabeth Bridge, next to which an impressive kiln was found. open air usually used for cooking, smoking food, and also for slaking lime. Since several such furnaces were found in this place, there is reason to assume that this is why the ancient settlement was called Pest. Before the Mongol invasion, Germanic settlers used the translation of the word "oven" into German - Ofen. After some time, for unknown reasons, they began to call the Buda Hill that way.

According to another version, the name Pest comes from the Slavic word "cave", and this was the name of the settlement on the right bank of the Danube, that is, the present Buda. On the slope of Mount Gellert, which in the Middle Ages was called "Pest Mountain" (Mons Pestiensis), there was a huge cave, which was very clearly visible from the opposite bank. It is quite logical that the Slavic peoples who settled there called this area Pest.

Since ancient times, there has been a ferry across the Danube near the Gellert Hill, since it was in this place that it was narrowest. The crossing was called the "Pest Ferry". A large settlement that grew up on the gentle left bank was called Pest, and a small settlement under Mount Gellert was called Small Pest. Only residential quarters in the fortress were called Buda.

Budapest- the capital of Hungary and the largest city in the country. Population - 1,721,556 people (2010).

The city consists of three historically formed parts: Pest, located on the eastern side of the Danube River, Buda and Obuda, occupying the western bank of the Danube.

Within Budapest, there are seven islands on the Danube: Hayodyari siget, Margit and Csepel (part of region XXI), Palotai (actually a peninsula), Nepsiget, Haros-siget and Molnar-siget are part of regions III and XIII.

Thanks to the numerous hot mineral springs in the city, Budapest is the only spa capital in Europe. There are 27 baths here, 13 of which are therapeutic. Healing waters are used not only for bathing, but also for drinking.
Last changes: 25.03.2012

History

In the 1st century BC. NS. on the site of Budapest there was a Celtic settlement Ak-Ink, which was a trade and handicraft center. After the arrival of the Romans in 89 AD. NS. the territory was incorporated into the Roman province of Pannonia. In 106, Ak-Ink was renamed Aquincum and made an administrative center. The city was home to a Roman garrison, and there were about 20 thousand inhabitants. The ruins of public buildings, private houses and an aqueduct have survived to this day. Until the 4th century, Aquincum was the capital of the province of Lower Pannonia.

By 450, the Romans were driven out by the Ostrogoths and Huns, and Pannonia became the center of the Hunnic Empire.

Modern Pest was called Contra Aquincum and was a small settlement.

Around 895, Hungarian tribes came to the Danube, Aquincum was renamed Buda (later Obuda - Old Buda) and became the first political center of Hungary. A century later, the Hungarian state was proclaimed.

Immigrants from Germany and France began to appear in Pest.

As a result of the Mongol invasion in 1241, Buda and Pest were devastated. After that, in 1247, King Bela IV built a fortified royal castle - Budu on the Fortress Hill. In 1361 Buda was proclaimed the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary.

In 1473 in Buda, Andras Hess printed the first Hungarian book, which became the Hungarian Chronicle.

In 1541 Buda and Pest were occupied by the Turks. The city began to decline and its population began to decline. The seat of the Turkish Pasha was located in Buda, the city was the capital of the vilayet.

Only in 1686 the Buda fortress was taken by storm after almost 40 days of siege. The city was liberated by Austrian troops from the rule of the Ottoman Empire and annexed to the possessions of the Habsburgs.

In the 18th century, Pest began to develop rapidly as a trade center. By 1800, the population of Pest exceeded that of Buda and Obuda combined. In the next century, the population of Pest increased 20 times and amounted to 600 thousand people, while the population of Buda and Obuda increased only 5 times.

The unification of the three cities was first undertaken during the revolution of 1848-1849. However, the restoration of the Habsburgs after the defeat of the revolution again entailed division. The final unification took place on November 17, 1873 after the formation of a separate Hungarian royal government. The city began to develop rapidly. In 1900, the population of the united city was 730 thousand people.

In 1873, the streets of the city began to be illuminated with electric lights, in 1887 trams appeared in the city, in 1885 - a city telephone, and in 1896 - the first metro on the European continent.

In March 1944, Budapest was occupied by German troops. Later the city was besieged by the Red Army, the siege lasted 102 days, the central areas of the city during the battles turned into ruins. On February 13, 1945, Budapest was taken by storm, all bridges and a quarter of all buildings were destroyed (about 38,000 people died). Most of the Jewish population of Budapest (250 thousand people before the occupation) was destroyed during the Holocaust.

Transport

Public transport in Budapest - buses, trams, trolleybuses and metro.

Express buses with red numbers do not stop everywhere. To get off the bus, you need to press a special button above the door.

After 23:30, night buses run around the city, which are marked in the timetable with the letter "E".

The most important bus stations in Budapest are Nepliget and Nepstadion. The first serves flights to the south and west, the second - to the north and east, both domestic and international. There are also small bus stations at the Arpada Bridge (local connection to the Danube Bend) and at Etele Square (local connection to the south).

Taxi drivers like to cheat foreigners, as in many countries. Therefore, it is better to order a taxi by phone. This can be done for you by the waiter in the cafe, or the porter of your hotel. If you have to catch a taxi on the street, it is better to negotiate the fare right away. Rates are often posted on the door glass or on the dashboard.

Underground

The Budapest Metro is the oldest on the European continent (1896) and one of the oldest in the world. Consists of three lines - old and two new - intersecting at one transfer station "Deak Ferenc ter" ("Ferenc Deak Square"). The total length of the lines is 32.1 km, 42 stations. Trains run every 2-15 minutes, depending on the time of day. Opening hours from 4:30 to 23:30.
Old-style trains run along the yellow line. Other lines use Russian-made trains (Mytishchi plant).

By 2014, it is planned to open the fourth line (12 more stations, including two new transfers), and even later, the fifth (now at the design stage).

Fare payment

Tickets can be bought at the entrance to the metro, at newsstands and orange ticket machines located on the street near transport stops. You can buy transfer tickets (for a trip with a transfer) and tickets in books of 10-20 pcs. When buying a book, remember that tickets should be punched out one by one, but without tearing them off - since they are valid only in the form of a "booklet".

When boarding, you must immediately validate the ticket.

You can buy a 7-day or monthly ticket. Then at the ticket center you will be given a special card with a photo (you need to bring a photo with you), with your name and surname written down, to which a paper ticket with a printed expiration date is attached. The card is valid for many years, so it is worth keeping it for future visits to Budapest.

Regular tickets are valid for 60 minutes, and when traveling on the yellow metro line - only 30 minutes. Transfer tickets are valid only within the city boundaries and are valid up to 90 minutes from the moment of the first composting.

When you make a transfer - they need to be composted again - from that moment you can travel for another 60 minutes (on the yellow metro line - 30 minutes).

Railway transport

Budapest is the central point of the Hungarian railway network. Most of the most important railway lines depart from here, and the most important national and international routes pass through it. There are three main stations in Budapest:

West Station "Nyugati" (Nyugati Palyaudvar)- Serves trains of the eastern and northern directions (but not western). However, in ancient times, trains to Vienna also departed from here, including the train of His Majesty, which is why it was called Western.

East station "Keleti" (Keleti Palyaudvar)- the name of the station is also misleading, trains come here from the western direction, and from Poland.

Delhi South Station (Deli Palyaudvar) - serves mainly trains departing to Balaton and to the southern regions of Hungary. Trains to Croatia also leave from here.

All train stations in Budapest are connected to the metro, making it easy to get from any of them to the center or any other part of the city. Next to the railway there are also bus stops, which can be used to get to any corner of the capital.

HEV - suburban railway lines departing to cities located at a distance of 20-50 km from the capital. On the HEV lines within the city limits, you can use a regular ticket for city transport.
The boundaries of the city are marked on hanging maps at the stations and in each carriage. If you want to travel outside Budapest, you need to buy a separate ticket. You can do this either at the ticket offices of individual stations, or at the conductor on the train.

Thanks to HEV, tourists can easily reach three beautiful towns in the vicinity of the capital:, and.

Water transport

The Danube, one of the main waterways of Europe, flows through Budapest. Navigation is carried out along the river. There is a commercial port on the Chepel Island.

In Budapest itself, recreational water transport is developed. River trams of the "Moscow" type of Soviet production are quite common.

Baths of Budapest

There are 27 baths in Budapest, of which 13 are therapeutic. Healing waters are used not only for bathing, but also for drinking.

- one of the oldest and most beautiful baths in Budapest. Located in the historical center of the city - near the Freedom Bridge. Water temperature 38-43 ° C. There are 13 swimming pools in the bath, among which there is a pearl bath, thermal, outdoor, sit-down, children's pools, and a wave pool.

Therapeutic procedures: therapeutic and carbonic baths, therapeutic, health and underwater jet massage, hot and wet steam rooms, Finnish sauna, mud therapy, therapeutic gymnastics. In addition to the jacuzzi and wave pool, rooftop solariums are also popular. During summer months, on Fridays and Saturdays, you can swim in the outdoor pools until midnight.

Indications: degenerative diseases of the joints, diseases of the spine, chronic and agitated inflammation of the joints, diseases of the cartilaginous disc, neuralgia, vasoconstriction, circulatory anxiety, asthma and chronic bronchitis.

- one of the most popular and largest in Budapest. Located in the city park "Varoshliget". Healing water from a depth of 1256 meters has a temperature of 77 ° C. The bath water is drinkable: it contains calcium, magnesium, chlorine, sulfate, alkali and significant amounts of fluorine.

Therapeutic procedures: swimming in the pool, mud poultices, salt, therapeutic and carbon dioxide baths, therapeutic and underwater radiation massage, therapeutic gymnastics.

Indications: chronic diseases of the joints and spine, rehabilitation after orthopedic operations and accidents, pain in the spine, chronic inflammation of the joints in an inactive stage, neuralgia, lack of lime in the skeletal system.

- located in Buda, near the Elisabeth Bridge. The central element of the current bath is a building with a dome with a diameter of 10 m, which was created in the 15th century, during the Turkish rule. There are male, female (Tuesday) and mixed (weekend) visiting days in the bath.

Indications: diseases associated with wear and tear of the spine and joints, chronic and acute inflammation of the joints, spinal hernia, chronic inflammation of the respiratory tract, inflammation of the intestines and stomach, pain in the nerve endings, inflammation of the nerves, lack of calcium in the skeletal system.

Therapeutic procedures: balneotherapy (pool, baths), hydrotherapy (underwater jet massage), mechanotherapy (therapeutic massage, refreshing massage, foot massage), electrotherapy (galvanotherapy, iontophoresis, diadynamics, short wave therapy, selective pulse electrotherapy, ultrasound, interference treatment , magnetotherapy).

- located east of the Margaret Bridge, in Buda. The waters are warm (22-27 ° C) and hot (41-54 ° C). They contain sodium, calcium, magnesium, hydrogen carbonate, chlorine sulfate and a significant amount of fluorine. There are 8 swimming pools in the bath.

Indications: diseases of the spine and joints (deformity, cartilage diseases, lumbago), ankylosing spondylitis, chronic inflammation of the joints not in the acute stage, inflammation of the nerves, lack of calcium in the skeletal system, post-traumatic rehabilitation.

Therapeutic procedures: balneotherapy (swimming pool, bath, mud therapy, carbon dioxide baths), hydrotherapy (weight bath, underwater jet massage), mechanotherapy (massage therapy, refreshing massage, foot massage), electrotherapy (galvanic therapy, iontophoresis, diadynamic therapy, short treatment waves, selective pulse electrotherapy, ultrasound, magnetotherapy).

- located in Buda, in Buda, next to the Margaret bridge. was the Turkish Pasha Arslan in 1565, and in 1796 it was rebuilt in the form in which it has survived to this day. Thermal water is supplied via a pipeline from the "Lukacs" baths. Water contains sodium, calcium, magnesia, hydrogen, carbonate, sulfate, fluoridion.

Indications: diseases associated with deterioration of the spine and joints (deformity, cartilage diseases, lumbago), ankylosing spondylitis, chronic inflammation of the joints not in the acute stage, lack of calcium in the skeletal system, post-traumatic rehabilitation.

Therapeutic procedures: balneotherapy (pool with thermal waters, baths), hydrotherapy (underwater jet massage), mechanotherapy (therapeutic massage, refreshing massage, foot massage).

Kupalnya is open for women on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, for men - on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The day off is Sunday.

Attractions of Buda Mountain

Buda Castle (Budai Vár) or Buda Castle- a unique architectural ensemble on the Buda (castle) hill in. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the city. In 2002 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The first royal residence on the site of a modern castle was built by the Hungarian king Bela IV between 1247 and 1265.

The oldest part of the modern castle was built in the XIV century by the Duke of Slavonia Stephen, the younger brother of the Hungarian king Louis the Great.

Under King Sigismund, the castle was seriously expanded and probably became the largest in the late Middle Ages.

After the Battle of Mohacs in 1526, the Kingdom of Hungary ceased to exist, and the Turks freely occupied the castle. During the Ottoman rule, the complex of buildings of the castle was used as military barracks and a stable, some of the premises were empty.

Most of the medieval buildings of the castle were destroyed during the siege by the allied forces of the Holy League of Buda during the liberation of the city during the Great Turkish War.

In 1715, King Charles VI ordered to clear the territory of the castle from the ruins and began construction of a new complex of buildings.

In 1749 the construction of the new Royal Palace was completed.

On May 4, 1849, the Hungarian revolutionary army led by Arthur Gergey laid siege to Buda castle, the castle was captured, as a result of which the Royal Palace was completely burned down.

Soon after the Hungarian Revolution, in 1850-1856, the palace was rebuilt. After the conclusion of the Austro-Hungarian Agreement in 1867, Emperor Franz Joseph I was crowned in the palace as King of Hungary.

In the 19th century, the autonomous Hungarian government decided to build a new building for the Royal Palace, equal to any of the then famous residences of European monarchs, construction lasted from 1875 to 1912. After the official opening, its building was recognized as the most outstanding Hungarian building, embodying the beginning of the new century.

After the 1918 revolution and the removal of the Habsburgs, the Royal Palace became the seat of the Hungarian ruler Horthy Miklos.

In 1944, during the capture of Budapest, Buda Castle became the last center of resistance of the fascist troops. Heavy fighting has left it in ruins.

After the war, archaeological excavations were carried out with the aim of restoring some of the medieval buildings. The result was the opening of some buildings from the time of Sigismund. Large-scale reconstruction of medieval fortifications has seriously changed the face of modern Budapest. The reconstruction project is considered successful, since it was possible to combine the view of the medieval buildings with the modern layout of the castle.

Since the communist government of Hungary considered the Royal Palace a symbol of the previous regime and oppression of the nation, the palace underwent a barbaric reconstruction, many valuable architectural delights were removed or were not restored to their original form after the war.

The palace was finally restored in 1966, and the territory of the castle was fully restored only by 1980.

The three main parts of Buda Castle are the Royal Palace, St. George's Square and the Historic Residential Buildings.
Last changes: 08.03.2013

Other sights of Budapest

Andrássy út is one of the main attractions of Budapest. For its majestic, elegant appearance, it is called the Budapest Champs Elysees. Construction began in 1872 and completed by 1884. The avenue is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The length of the avenue is 2.5 km. It connects Erzsebet Square with Heroes Square and Varoshliget City Park; There are many neo-Renaissance buildings on the avenue, one of the most striking examples of which is the Opera House, built in 1884.

It bears the name of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria-Hungary, Gyula Andrassy.

The avenue changed its name several times: the original Radial Avenue was first renamed into Andrássy Avenue, then after the Second World War it was named after Stalin. In the revolutionary year 1956 it was renamed into Youth Avenue, and then until 1989 it was called the People's Republic Avenue.

House of Terror (Terror Háza)- Museum on Andrassy Avenue in Budapest, located in the building of the former Office state security Hungary and is dedicated to the tragic periods of the totalitarian history of Hungary. The building, built in 1880, was a prison in post-war Hungary, where opponents of the regime were tortured. After the 1956 uprising, the building was transferred to the Hungarian Komsomol.

In the early 2000s, the building was purchased by the Foundation for the Study of the History and Society of Eastern and Central Europe and renovated. In particular, the building has acquired a wide visor with the inscription "TERROR" embossed on it, which casts a shadow with huge letters on the facade of the building in sunny weather. Since February 2002, the building has housed a museum, two expositions of which are designed to remind of the crimes of both Hungarian fascists and Hungarian communists.

Heroes' Square (Hősök tere)- one of the famous squares of the Hungarian capital, located in Pest. Andrassy Avenue ends on Heroes' Square, and Varoshliget City Park begins behind the square. The square was decorated for the celebration of the millennium of Hungary in 1896.

The square is decorated with several monuments. The first, located in the center of the square, is dedicated to the millennium of the Magyars' passage through the Carpathians and is a tall column, at the top of which is the figure of the Archangel Gabriel on the globe with the crown of King Stephen and the Apostolic cross. According to legend, it was the archangel Gabriel, who appeared to him in a dream, that ordered Saint Stephen to convert the Hungarians to Christianity. At the foot of the monument are depicted the leaders of seven Magyar tribes, led by Prince Arpad, the founder of the ruling Hungarian dynasty.

Two semicircular colonnades located on Heroes' Square behind the column of the Archangel Gabriel are a monument to the heroes of Hungary. The length of each of the colonnades is 85 m. Between the columns, from left to right, there are bronze statues of representatives of various dynasties of Hungary.

A stone slab is installed next to the central column on Heroes' Square - a memorial to Hungarian soldiers who died in world wars, where on the days of national holidays there is a guard of honor and solemn ceremony of laying flowers.

On both sides, Heroes' Square is flanked by two neoclassical buildings - the Museum of Fine Arts and the Mucharnok Exhibition Hall.

Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum)- the main art museum of the Hungarian capital, the largest collection of works of foreign art in Hungary. Housed in a neoclassical building on Heroes' Square, designed by architects Albert Schikedanz and Fülöp Herzog, opposite the Mucharnok exhibition hall. Founded in 1896.

The exposition of the museum is based on the collection of the princes of Esterhazy. The museum's permanent exhibitions highlight ancient and European sculpture, including Egyptian, Greek and Roman collections. European fine art is represented in particular by the Italian school of painting of the 13th-18th centuries, as well as graphics, paintings and sculpture of the last century. The collection of the museum presents unique works of such great masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Durer, El Greco, Goya, Rubens, Velazquez, Rodin, Monet, Manet and Cezanne.

The Museum of Fine Arts organizes temporary exhibitions at which world-renowned museums such as the Louvre exhibit their collections.

Exhibition Hall "Műcsarnok"- an art gallery in Budapest, located on Heroes' Square opposite the Museum of Fine Arts. Designed by architects Albert Schikedanz and Fülöp Herzog, the six-column building with colorful mosaics on the pediment opened in 1895.

The gallery does not have its own permanent exhibition and is used for various exhibitions of Hungarian and foreign contemporary art.

Városliget City Park - large park next to Heroes' Square. On the site of the park, there were once the hunting grounds of King Matthias, which was a rugged swampy area in the Danube floodplain with poor vegetation. Under Leopold I, this territory was transferred to cattle pastures. In 1799, under Maria Theresa, the marshes were drained and trees were planted. A canal system was also laid.

Varoshliget park plan

Currently in the City Park, the area of ​​which is 1 sq. km, about 7 thousand trees grow, including quite exotic and ancient ones.

In the Varoshliget park there is the famous Széchenyi baths, a circus, an amusement park, a zoo, a Transport Museum, as well as the famous restaurant of Budapest "Gundel", which is more than 150 years old.

Also on the territory of the City Park there are several artificial lakes, one of which is dominated by the Vaidahunyad Castle.

Vajdahunyad Castle- was built to commemorate the celebration in 1896 of the 1000th anniversary of the acquisition of their homeland by the Hungarians according to the project of the architect Ignaz Alpar, originally as a wooden decoration for the play, and then in 1904 immortalized in stone. In his castle project, Alpar included elements of 21 famous structures in Hungary, including the Vaidahunyad fortress in Transylvania, the Shegeshvara fortress, the tower of the Brasov fortress Katalina, the church in Yak and a number of other temples, towers and castles. The monument to Ignaz Alpar was erected at the entrance to the Vaidahunyad castle.

As a result, the castle complex combines several architectural styles at once: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. One of the wings of Vaidahunyad houses the world's first Agricultural Museum.

(Országház) is the seat of the Hungarian Parliament on the banks of the Danube in Budapest. This building is the largest building in Hungary. The height of the central dome is 27 m, the diameter of the dome is 20 m. In the wings, located on both sides of the dome, are the parliamentary meeting rooms (previously the Hungarian parliament was bicameral). The second meeting room is currently used for conferences. The facade is decorated with statues of the rulers of Hungary and Transylvania.

The interiors are lavishly decorated in a medieval manner with the use of mosaics and stained-glass windows.

Guided tours for tourists are conducted in the building of the Hungarian Parliament, including in Russian.

Széchenyi chain bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd) - suspension bridge over the Danube, connecting the two historical parts of Budapest - Buda and Pest. Opened in 1849, becoming the first permanent bridge across the Danube.

The bridge is named after the Hungarian politician Count Istvan Szechenyi, who invested a lot of money and effort in its construction. At that time, it was one of the largest bridges in the world (the central span was 202 m). The bridge played an important role in the economic and social life of Hungary, became one of the incentives for the unification of Buda and Pest into a single city of Budapest. The decoration of the bridge is made of cast iron.

During the capture of Budapest, the bridge was blown up by the retreating fascists and needed restoration, which was completed in 1949. The bridge was reopened to traffic on November 20, 1949, exactly 100 years after its first opening.

Margit Bridge (Margit híd)- a bridge over the Danube connecting two historical parts of Budapest - Buda and Pest. One of the oldest public bridges in Budapest, it was built in 1872-1876.

The bridge consists of two parts, connected on Margaret Island, and these parts are located at an angle of 165 ° to each other. The reason for this unusual shape is the fact that a small branch to connect the bridge with Margaret Island was hastily included in the original project, but was never built in 2 decades due to lack of funds.

All the bridges of Budapest were blown up during the Second World War by sappers of the Wehrmacht in January 1945 when they retreated to the side of Buda while encircling the capital. However, the Margaret Bridge was destroyed earlier, on November 4, 1944, when an accidental explosion destroyed the east span of the bridge. 600 civilians and 40 German soldiers were killed. During the reconstruction, a significant portion of the steel was removed from the river and used in the rebuilt bridge.

- an ancient city that was located on the northeastern borders of Pannonia, a province of the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city are located on the territory of modern Budapest.

Back in the 1st century BC. a Celtic tribe lived on the site of Aquincum. In 41-54 years. AD the Romans set up their permanent military camp here. Gradually a city grew out of the fortress, which in 106 became the capital of Lower Pannonia. By the end of the II century, the city was inhabited by about 30-40 thousand inhabitants, the city occupied a significant part of the territory of the modern district of Budapest Obud.

The people living in the settlement took advantage of the empire's achievements such as central heating in houses and public baths, and built palaces or amphitheaters for public use in the city.

Currently, two amphitheaters have survived in Aquincum: the large Military Amphitheater (the Legionnaires' Amphitheater, located a few kilometers south of the main part of Aquinca) and the small Civil Amphitheater.

In 2002, Aquincum, together with Buda Castle and Andrássy Avenue, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

- a fortress built in 1851 by the Habsburgs on the highest point of the city to prevent Hungarian uprisings like the 1848-49 uprising. In 1867, after the signing of the Austrian-Hungarian compromise agreement, the Citadel lost its strategic importance. In 1944-45. The citadel was used by the besieged German troops as a shelter and bomb shelter.

Today, the Citadel is used as observation deck, and it houses a hotel, a restaurant and a museum, where, with the help of wax figures and photographs, they tell about the storming of Budapest.

The length of the building is 220 m, the width is 60 m, and the height of the walls is 12-16 m.

Next to the Citadel is the 14-meter Freedom Monument, which is a giant female figure holding a palm branch in raised hands.

Initially, this place was occupied by a monument in the form of a female figure holding an aircraft propeller. This statue was built by order of the Hungarian dictator, Admiral Horthy, in honor of his son, who died in a plane crash during the Second World War. It was later replaced by the Soviet government with the present monument. Until 1992, there was also a figure of a Soviet soldier who, after the fall of the “iron curtain”, was dismantled and transported to the open-air museum (Park “Memento” www.mementopark.hu), where all the monuments of the “communist regime” of Budapest are kept.

Vigadó Concert Hall- located on the Danube embankment in Vigado square. The building designed by Frieds Fesl was built in the middle of the 19th century. The magnificent façade of the concert hall with the Hungarian coat of arms in the center is decorated with statues and busts of dancers, monarchs and other prominent figures of Hungary.

- Museum in Budapest, created by the project of Akosh Eleed and opened in 1993. The main part of the park is occupied by a collection of sculptures from the socialist period of Hungarian history, with a total of 40 exhibits. Most of these sculptures were dismantled in 1989 and taken to the park, where an open-air museum was created.

The park contains monuments to Marx and Engels, Lenin, the Hungarian communists led by the leader of the 1919 Hungarian Revolution White Kun, monuments to parliamentarians Ivan Ostapenko and Miklos Steinmetz, who died in 1945.

The park recreates the atmosphere of the communist era, here you can see, for example, an old typical telephone booth and a car made by the German Democratic Republic "Trabant".

Café Gerbeaud- the famous cafe in Budapest, one of the largest and most famous coffee houses in Europe. Stucco moldings, luxurious chandeliers, wall cladding made of precious woods and furniture have preserved the style and spirit of the Grunder era in the cafe. The history of the cafe began in 1858 thanks to the representative of the third generation of the pastry dynasty Henrik Kugler.

Budapest Great Synagogue (Nagy Zsinagóga) is one of the largest synagogues in Europe. It is located in the Jewish quarter of Pest, where to this day live many Jews who cherish their traditions. The construction of the synagogue took place in the years 1854-1859.

The building of the Jewish Museum of Budapest, built in 1929-1931 according to the project of Laszlo Vago and Ferenc Farago on the site of the house where the founder of Zionism Theodor Herzl was born, is adjacent to the Great Synagogue.

Tropicarium-Oceanarium- not only a part of the deep-sea world is represented here, but also a fragment of a tropical forest, where thunder rumbles every quarter of an hour, rain pours and lightning flashes (exotic birds, monkeys, alligators and snakes live here).

The Tropicarium houses a large marine aquarium - the shark aquarium (with an 11-meter tunnel for visitors) containing 1.4 million liters of salt water, in which 8 2-meter sharks swim and many hundreds of other colorful fish species (including fish of the Hungarian fauna). Along with the huge aquarium, there are over 50 "smaller" aquariums, as well as a terrarium.

Shark feeding takes place on Thursdays between 3 pm and 4 pm, with the exception of some special occasions.

- is the oldest zoo in Hungary (1866), one of the oldest in the world and one of the largest in Europe in terms of the number and variety of animals. It is located on the territory of the City Park.

- located on the territory of the central city park and covers an area of ​​6.5 hectares.On the territory of the amusement park, visitors are offered more than 50 types of attractions. Today it is a favorite family vacation spot in Budapest.

- narrow gauge railway in Budapest. Track width - 760 mm. The road was built in 1948-1950. There are a total of 9 stations on the road, with 61 tram lines approaching one of the endings, a cable car to one of the intermediate ones, and a cogwheel railway to the other end, leading to further attractions. At the main station, Hűvösvölgy, there is the Children's Railway Museum, which tells about its history.

How to get to Budapest

Flight duration from Moscow: about 2 hours 40 minutes.

Budapest Ferihegy International Airport is located 16 km southeast of the center of Budapest. You can get from the airport to the city by bus, minibus or taxi.

Budapest from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Budapest.

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Once upon a time, in immemorial legendary times, on the banks of the majestic Danube, which carries its green waters across half of Europe, two settlements appeared, each of which was located on the opposite bank from each other. One of the banks was higher, and a village called Buda arose there, and a cozy Pest was located on the gentle bank. After a while, both cities merged into one - called Budapest. To say that Budapest is the real "pearl" of Europe and its most beautiful capital is to say absolutely nothing. Ancient baroque quarters, luxurious theaters and palaces that have preserved in their bronze, green domes, the spirit of the empire, the ancient fortifications of Buda, monuments to the great Hungarian kings and saints of the Magyar land, of course, the majestic parliament building, beautiful at any time of day or night.

This is not all that the Hungarian capital is rich in. It is impossible to deny yourself the pleasure of not sitting down at the table of a cozy restaurant in the middle of the day or on a quiet evening and enjoying the wonderful goulash and drinking a glass or two of Tokay. You cannot ignore the famous baths for which Budapest is famous throughout Europe. It is difficult to list all the sights of this city, so it is better to come and see everything with your own eyes. It is safe to say about Budapest - this point on the map is a must-see.

How to get to Budapest

As in the case with many other destinations, Moscow offers the most options for a trip to Budapest from Russia: the flight is cheaper (a Hungarian low-cost airline flies from here to Budapest), there is a direct train. And, although the bus service cannot be called well-functioning, you can get behind the wheel yourself. From Moscow to Budapest is less than 2 thousand km, and the route through the territory of Belarus, Poland and Slovakia takes 20-22 hours of travel - taking into account the crossing of the Belarusian-Polish border, but without taking into account the obligatory stops.

It is more difficult for those traveling from St. Petersburg to save on air tickets; the bus runs more often, which will be a weak consolation for most. By car? The distance will increase by only 250-300 km, it is more convenient to travel through the Baltic States, Poland and the Czech Republic.

We read about which way to find yourself in the Hungarian capital is right for you on the page “How to get to Budapest”.

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Districts of Budapest

The main thing is that everyone who comes immediately learns about the geography of the Hungarian capital - the Danube divides it into two parts. Hilly Buda remains on the western bank, and Pest stands proudly on the eastern bank, not needing heights. The city is divided into 23 districts. Buda includes regions I, II, III, XI, XII, XXII. Almost the entire region III is the territory of Obuda ("Old Buda"). At the end of the 19th century, three cities, Buda, Obuda and Pest, were merged into one Budapest.

Buda: reliably hides antiquity in the shade of trees and the glitter of restorations

District I (Castle District) is the smallest in the territory of Buda, but it is here that the Buda Fortress is located. Everything indicates that we will see a certain medieval castle and ... no. Castles, of course, were erected more than once, because Buda was built from the 14th century, but little remained of them: the fortress walls were rebuilt, the Matthias Cathedral changed its appearance for 700 years, and the Royal Palace (never been a royal residence) from a small palace the middle of the 18th century, turned into a grandiose building of the early 20th century.

Along the Danube, under the fortress and to the north, the Vizivaros region (regions I, II and III) stretches. Art Nouveau fountains (early 20th century), medieval baths "Kirai" and "Lukach", interesting architectural solutions, including cathedrals, laid down in the Middle Ages. The Pal-Völdi stalagmite cave, the most visited of all the underground labyrinths of Budapest, is located here.

Mount Gellert, located south of the castle hill, competes with the much more distant Mount Janos for the title of the city's best vantage point. At its foot since 1918 the hotel of the same name in the Art Nouveau style has been hosting guests; his baths Gellert are famous far beyond the borders of Hungary.

Region III (Obuda). This is a calm area where attractions coexist perfectly with sleeping quarters and panel houses. The most remote of all the tourist centers in Budapest; considered the most ancient. If only because here we will find the ruins of Aquincum - a city that was part of one of the outlying provinces of the Roman Empire. Two amphitheaters have survived. Other places are already related to the history of Obuda: Szentlélek tér and the palace of the Zichy family, Fő tér square with the building of the city hall and sculptures of the Hungarian Imre Varga.

According to the locals, it is quite possible to get around the whole Budu on foot. Walk from Buda Hill to central squares in Obud it will take 2-2.5 hours.

Pest: grandiose buildings and geometry of avenues

One of the reasons for the disputes between Buda and Pest is where is it better to start exploring the city - from Buda Hill or from old Pest? Let it be a rhetorical question.

So, across the river from the castle complex stretches the Belvaros district, the core of the old city, the first surviving buildings in which date back to the 12th century (such as the parish church). The ruins of a small fort from the times of the Roman Empire are mothballed right on the square in front of the church. The embankment has been rebuilt for walking - from here it is customary to admire Buda.

In Belvaros, as in all of central Pest, there are many monuments to outstanding Hungarians - this is a kind of national showcase for the formation of statehood. From here, from Vörösmarty Square, the pedestrian Vaci street starts (may the flow of tourists not dry up on it, day or night). And the stately buildings of the city council and the university library are not too far from the equally stately Central Market.

Belvaros smoothly flows into Lipotvaros (the first district that once began to be built outside the fortress walls of Pest). Here the sovereign scope is felt more strongly. Just look at one building of the Hungarian Parliament, so huge, 268 meters long and 96 meters high, that tourists prefer to photograph it from the west bank. The square in front of the Parliament is again replete with monuments, and on public holidays it gathers parades. Barely inferior to him in size, perhaps, the main Hungarian church - St. Stephen's Basilica (not a museum, so admission is free). Both buildings were built at the beginning of the 20th century.

Lipotvaros is famous for its bridges: the Chain Bridge (named after Szechenyi) became the first permanent crossing between the two banks in the middle of the 19th century, and the Princess Margaret Bridge built after it broke the record for the number of rebuildings and reconstructions.

Both Belvaros and Lipotvaros are located in administrative district V, the smallest district of Pest, which gives an idea of ​​the actual size of this part of the city. The territories of the districts expand as they approach the outskirts.

The main street of the VI district (Terezváros) is a straight and wide Andrássy avenue. A hackneyed comparison with the Champs Elysees sounds silly, but this is one of the most popular streets in Budapest, built up with palaces and mansions of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The avenue ends in area XIV, where Heroes' Square and the City Park are located (the largest and most popular Szechenyi baths in Europe and the most popular among tourists, as well as an eclectic complex of buildings in different architectural styles, which are found on the territory of the country - among the Vaidahunyadwar people). Neighboring district VII is notable not only for its proximity to the old center and buildings in the Art Nouveau style, but also for the Erzsebetváros Jewish quarter (buildings at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries). The Great Synagogue on Dohany Street, which can seat up to 3 thousand people, is still one of the largest in Europe.

Jozsefvaros (district VIII), outlined in the north by Rakoczi Avenue, is interesting for the oldest cemetery “Kerepeshi”, opened in 1847. In the same area, the National Museum, the first museum in the history of Hungary, was opened in the same year. The Baroque building of the St. Roch Hospital appeared 6 years earlier. Two blocks away, you can walk along the narrow Pushkin street.

The territory of the city includes 7 more islands on the Danube, including, in fact, the Palotai peninsula. Margaret Island, in the center of the capital, is included in District XIII and has been completely transformed into a recreation park (mostly active), with several thermal springs. You cannot enter here by private car. The largest island, Csepel, is 48 km long and belongs to Budapest only with its northern tip.

Safety of tourists in Budapest

The crime situation in Budapest is by no means worse than in other large cities in Europe. Most often, guests of the capital become victims of scammers, pickpockets and car burglars.

Transport

The public transport in Budapest is metro, trams, trolleybuses and buses, as well as taxis. Tickets can be bought at the entrance to the metro, at newsstands and orange ticket machines located on the street near transport stops. A single ticket costs 350 HUF, a one-time ticket with a transfer option is 530 HUF, a 24-hour ticket will cost 1650 HUF, 72 hours - 4150 HUF. Buying a single ticket already in transport will cost 100 HUF more.

Three metro lines intersect in the city center at Deak square. Trains run every 2-15 minutes, depending on the time of day. Opening hours from 4:30 to 23:00, after 23:00 you can get to the hotel by night buses, which are marked with the letter "E" in the timetable. In total, there are about 200 bus routes in Budapest, there are even express buses - buses with red numbers, which (you should be careful!) Do not stop everywhere. To get off the bus, you need to press a special button above the door.

In addition, more than 30 tram routes have been laid in the capital, which run every 5-10 minutes.

An important point: all stations of the Budapest metro have separate platforms for trains traveling in different directions, with separate entrances, usually located on different sides of the street. It is impossible to go from one side of the station to the other in the metro itself: you have to go upstairs, cross the road, go down and pay the fare again.

We read about the types of transportation that are unexpected for many cities in the world, but not for the Hungarian capital, on the page "Public transport in Budapest".

Taxi

Cars have a TAXI plate and a yellow license plate, tariffs are posted on the door glass or on the dashboard. Landing - 300 HUF during the day, 420 HUF - at night; 1 km of track - 240 HUF during the day, 336 HUF - at night; waiting minute - 60-84 HUF, respectively. At the request of the client, the driver is obliged to provide an invoice. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Rent a Car

At first glance, being "on horseback" in a car in Budapest is not a very good idea. There are paid parking lots in the city center, heavy traffic, many pedestrian zones. However, any motorist will object to you that for the sake of freedom of movement (it is easy to get to Obuda, the suburbs, to see local sights, and not only those that are concentrated in the old center) "he will survive this trouble."

The further you are from the old town, the more likely it is that there is free public or private parking available. Parking at hotels in the center, as a rule, is paid, even for customers. It is cheaper to find a city parking somewhere nearby and leave a car there for the day, saving up to 50%.

The city has a network of municipal parking lots P + R (Parking and ride), designed for 4 thousand parking spaces (about 30 parking zones organized near metro stations or tram stops). Most zones are free for several hours.

Parking lots are equipped with automatic machines; on weekends, public parking is free of charge (on Saturday it can be paid from 8:00 to 12:00), on weekdays - paid hours from 8:00 to 18:00. You should carefully read the information at the machine: in the center and near attractions, parking can be paid both on weekends and in the late evening-night. Prepare for the fact that you need a little change. Old-style machines do not accept cards, and sometimes paper money. All parking lots are divided by cost into zones, depending on the proximity to the old center. The maximum cost of an hour of parking in the center is from 450 HUF.

In the central part of Pest (the area between the Erzhebet and Chain bridges) there are restrictions on the movement of cars, in Buda the same restrictions apply on the Fortress Hill; it is forbidden to enter by car and on the island of Margaret (recreation area).

There are many international rental offices in the city: Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar. The rental price, of course, depends on the class of the car; discounts are provided for the duration of the rental. On average, it comes out from 17,000 HUF per day. Be prepared that a deposit will be frozen on the card - from 400 EUR (again, the amount depends on the terms of the contract and whether you agree to pay extra for insurance). Interestingly, the vignette is usually already included in the price of the contract. There are fewer local offices, but they exist and you can negotiate with them some bonuses: no deposit, a smartphone with a local SIM card and mobile internet for the driver, walkie-talkie for two or more cars (Smart Trip4, Rent-a-smart Budapest, Fox Auto Rent).

Connectivity and Wi-Fi

Free Internet access in Budapest is easy to find, harder - not to find, but to call home using not an Internet messenger, but a cellular network - you have to put up with the rather sad conditions of international roaming.

If you need constant mobile access, there is an option to purchase a SIM card from one of the local operators operating in 3G and 4G: Telenor, Vodafone or Magyar Telecom (formerly T-Mobile). The latter's tariffs are somewhat cheaper. On average, the cost of 1 GB of traffic ranges from 1000-1500 HUF. Telenor offers a special "guest" line: only for mobile access, without the possibility of making calls. Such SIM cards require a minimum of settings and are immediately inserted into a tablet or smartphone.

Calling through Hungarian operators to Russia is not a very good idea. Despite the fact that roaming in Russian cellular networks has become more expensive since 2014, tariffs from local operators will be higher. In addition, when buying a Hungarian SIM card, you must present a foreign passport - only the main operator points of Budapest work with this system, in the rest the SIM card may not be sold. Also, Russian tourists often fail to set up a SIM card on their own, even through a menu in English. In this case, the help of a sales assistant is required.

Once a very common option, telephone booths appear less and less frequently in Budapest.

Now for the pleasant. Free Wi-Fi meets immediately at Liszt Ferenc Airport. The Budapest Metro also has partial coverage. Some bus routes(as a rule, after all, tourist or intercity / international) are equipped with hot spots. What's more, Budapest museums are so interactive that they strive to provide visitors with free access to online guides and online exhibits, as well as to all other sites.

Tourists are so used to public or private free networks that they complain that Wi-Fi is not available in all city baths. Judging by the reviews, the VII administrative district of the city (Erzsebetváros, bordering the old Pest) provides free Wi-Fi throughout the territory as a municipal project.

Needless to say, free Wi-Fi has become the norm for most cafes and restaurants in Budapest, both small and chain establishments ... Hoteliers are obliged to organize free access in common areas and, most often, in rooms too. However, before booking, this point should be clarified on the website of a particular hotel.

Budapest Card

In Budapest, in order to save money on traveling, it makes sense to buy a “tourist pass” or a “Budapest” card. With this card, you can travel for three days on public transport for free and visit museums, receiving "heap" discounts in a variety of places: from baths to shops and from restaurants to minibuses to the airport. The cards are sold at tourist information offices, hotels, travel agencies and major public transport ticket offices (BKV).

Budapest maps

Budapest hotels

What to buy

Traditional food. Wines (from 300 HUF per bottle) and local beer (from 180 HUF) are advised not to be taken in duty-free: there is a wider assortment in city markets and grocery stores, and prices are lower. It is advisable to choose a palinka (brandy on fruit) under a well-known brand, since cheap analogs are far from the original taste. Bitter liqueur "Unicum" (infused with 40 herbs) is produced by the family company Zwack; even a carbonated version of the drink "Unicum Next" appeared on sale, designed, as the name implies, for a youth audience.

Hungarian salami is not only famous throughout Europe, but also perfect for transportation. Therefore, in Budapest, we buy Pick salami, the most "sausage" brand from the city of Szeged. The capital also produces Herz salami, which is popular domestically but less well known outside Hungary. Tube paprika paste (pirosarany) is another local product that is difficult to buy elsewhere. Saffron, marzipan and other sweets are also brought from here. For example, you can't buy the Dobos torta multi-layered sponge cake with chocolate cream and caramel anywhere else.

If you're done with your meal, what about folk motifs? As in other countries of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Hungarians have preserved their bright national dress with embroidery. Even in large quantities, tourists buy embroidered tablecloths, curtains, bed linen. Real Hungarian porcelain is much more difficult to find. In the country, for several hundred years, it was produced at the two largest factories, Zsolnay and Herend. Until now, such dishes are a luxury item, and due to the economic downturn, production capacity had to be significantly reduced. In any case, you need to remember that at the souvenir malls in the city center or in the shops in the castle area, there are a lot of one-day handicrafts originally from China.

Where to buy

Now more about retail outlets: some of them are so majestic that they can be recommended for inspection as an architectural landmark. First of all, it is the covered Central Market in a building from the late 19th century. People come here for local products, alcohol, made in Hungry clothes and souvenirs. Lehel market, located on the street of the same name, is considered a market "for the locals", trades mainly in food products. It is on Lehel that peasant farms bring vegetables, fruits and their household products.

There are a lot of shopping centers in Budapest where mass-scale clothing brands are concentrated. So, within walking distance from the Central Market is the West End. The largest shopping center in Budapest at the moment, Arena Plaza (more than 200 stores) is located a few kilometers from the historic center. Armani, Zegna, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Dior, Versace, Lanvin boutiques are located on Andrassy Avenue in the city center. Many tourists are surprised by another sign of Budapest, the abundance of second-hand shops right there, in the city center. Budapest is sometimes called the European capital "second". Some stores in this segment claim to be elitist and vintage chic (like the Szputnyk chain, which has several outlets around the city).

Usually shops in the city are closed on Sunday and close early on Saturday. However, supermarkets, and even private shops, often do not comply with this rule. Markets are closed on Sundays, and on Saturday, already at 13:00, they rapidly empty. Shopping centers on Saturday are consistently open until 19: 00-21: 00. Some shops of the Tesco chain are open around the clock.

What to try

Good wine, tart cheese, an abundance of meat and vegetable dishes generously seasoned with spices and paprika - Hungarian (aka Magyar) cuisine is considered an explosive mixture of European traditions and oriental motives. Some disappointment may await vegetarians, for whom the choice, on the contrary, will not be so great.

The main thing not to miss when in the capital of Hungary is goulash. We are talking about a thick, high-calorie and spicy soup - there is so much meat in it that vegetables serve only as a light load ... We eat "correct" goulash in a restaurant or snack bar - from 700-800 HUF per serving in a bowl to 3500 HUF and more expensive for soup served in bread. In addition to the classic version of the dish, in Budapest you can try an even thicker version, “perkölt”, or goulash with mushrooms and green peas - “tokan”.

Meat dishes are the basis of all Magyar cuisine, they are generously seasoned with sour cream and paprika, dumplings and mustard sauce. Few people know, but in Hungary even a special breed of pigs has been bred. In addition to their specific appearance (long bristles), these pigs differ from other brethren in even more fatty meat. Therefore, local sausages, including Debrecen sausages and Hungarian salami, are known far beyond the borders of the country. In supermarkets, a stick of inexpensive sausage costs from 600 HUF; raw smoked meat - from 1500 HUF.

Hungarian cuisine has one important feature: fish appears sporadically in it, but seafood is not. The fact is that the country is landlocked, fish are caught in inland rivers or lakes (pike perch from Balaton is called "fogash" here). One of the popular Christmas dishes is the local fish soup, originally from the town of Szeged, on the Tisza River. It can be easily prepared in restaurants with traditional cuisine, but shrimp or mussels for you will most likely be defrosted first and only then served.

Hungarian wines for visitors begin with the most famous, Tokaj. The wines of this region cannot be confused with others thanks to the large Tokaji inscription on the label. There are three main varieties. The most popular Aszu, due to the peculiarities of its preparation, causes the most confusion. Each bottle of this wine indicates the number of puttonyos (puttonyos): 3, 4, 5, 6. It's not about the years of aging, but about how many barrels for berries were used to create the wine: the more of them, the sweeter the final product and more expensive a bottle of wine.

From 9 to 13 September, the annual Budapest International Wine Festival is held in Budapest: on the square in front of Buda Castle and other venues throughout the city. To avoid dizziness, more than 170 varieties of local wines should still be eaten with national dishes offered right there.

If you did not come to Budapest during the festival, and your interest in Hungarian winemaking is not limited to the widest assortment of supermarkets, welcome to the tasting rooms. You don't have to go far, but right in the old town to look into the beloved by tourists "Faust Wine Cellar". The tasting, accompanied by an English-speaking sommelier, lasts about two hours in the format of 5 sets +1 and costs 5900 HUF.

The tasting rooms are interesting because wines from small farms, created according to original or old recipes, are also brought here. Such wines are not available for retail sale.

After the first and second courses and wine tastings, it's no longer sweet. Therefore, we strongly recommend starting your day in Budapest in cafes and pastry shops. Whether it's puff pancakes, chocolate brownies or cakes (the famous almond-chocolate esterhazy also comes from here), you'll see once again that it's not customary to count calories in Hungary.

Tourist budapest

Cafes and restaurants in Budapest

Hungarian cuisine has not turned into a brand like Italian or French, but in Western Europe, spoiled, what can we hide, by establishments of various formats, they love this “neighbor's” food, they go for it.

A popular location not only for tourists, but also for locals is the pedestrian street Vatci (Vatci utca), similar to the Moscow Arbat. There are many shops and restaurants of all kinds on it. All in all, in Budapest, according to the most rough estimates, there are more than 3 thousand restaurants.

Even on the central streets there are enough "kebabs" and burgers, however, as elsewhere in Europe - international catering is thriving. We find typical signs of Budapest in small and cozy pubs, in coffee houses with cakes and marzipans: here the locals sit, it seems, for hours, chatting and in no hurry. In bakeries, there are usually tables where you can have coffee with a still warm bun or eat one "tredelnik" (a long baguette, hollow inside, sprinkled with nuts and sugar) for two.

In the pubs of Budapest, you will definitely be offered not only beer, but also wine. Despite the fact that the locals respect their Hungarian beer very much, the beer list necessarily includes Czech, German and Austrian brands. And to have a snack, for the first acquaintance, God himself ordered Hungarian sausages, and even homemade sausages (they, however, are not at all cheap, unlike light alcohol, which flows like a river).

At the same time, some pubs honor the spirit of old England letter by letter, but tourists are much more interested in "ruin pubs" (from English ruin - ruin). This is not only a new format among drinking establishments, but also a real city attraction. The first ruin pubs appeared in the two-century Jewish quarter of Erzsebetváros, within walking distance of the old center. They were opened right in abandoned buildings, making minimal repairs and making sure that the ceiling did not collapse on the heads of visitors.

Mostly people come here to drink, not to eat; because of the love of tourists, the establishments keep the average price tag. Close attention is paid to the interior: broken or worn-out furniture gets the most unexpected neighborhood in the form of car tires, old bikes, household appliances turned inside out. It got to the point that "pseudo-ruin-pubs" appeared. The owners open them in ordinary buildings and arrange artificial wear and tear on the premises.

In local restaurants, it is customary to call gypsy ensembles, which play not on a common stage, but for each table separately. If you don't like this custom or loud music is not included in the plans, then you must immediately make it clear that you do not need to play for you, since it is customary to thank the performer with a tip (the size should not exceed 1500-2000 HUF).

The main thing that tourists note is still affordable prices, and in comparison not only with other European cities, but also with Moscow or St. Petersburg. Yes, it is more expensive here than in other regions of the country, including the small resort villages of Balaton, but it is quite possible to keep within 3500-4500 HUF in one of the many restaurants in Budapest. A slice of pizza or a bun at the street vendors - from 200-225 HUF.

If you want to dine at the weekend, it is better to book a table in the most popular places a few weeks before dinner. Almost all establishments, both inexpensive and respectable, accept card payments. A tip of 10-15% is usually included in the bill. The kitchen stops working one hour before closing. If the cafe is open until 0:00 or until the last visitor, then the kitchen accepts orders strictly until 23:00.

The size of portions depends on the policy of the establishment, but in a traditional Hungarian bistro / bar, all meat is served at the rate of 1 dish for 1.5 people: there should be a lot of hearty food, according to Budapest.

The best pictures of Budapest

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Guides in Budapest

Entertainment and attractions of Budapest

Budapest is deservedly ranked among the most beautiful cities the world, and the panorama of the central part of the city overlooking the Danube is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The capital of Hungary consists of three historically formed parts - Pest, Buda and Obuda and is the only city in the world with more than 120 thermal springs. First of all, you should visit the Buda Fortress and the Fisherman's Bastion: from there, from the Buda Mountains, a magnificent view of the opposite bank of the Danube opens, including the most beautiful building in the Pest part - Parliament.

The fortress complex on the mountain can be treated in different ways: it is called both the “dead” city and the “eclecticism” of Budapest, but this quarter, which has been rebuilt for centuries, has absorbed so many features ... Its heart is, of course, the Royal Palace, with a typical and at the same time not a very logical and not very royal story.

The first castle erected on this site was, in fact, the dwelling of a royal person (13-14 centuries). The Renaissance, and then the Turkish rule made their own adjustments, but he did not survive the 17th century. After 30 years, on its ruins, the venerable Empress of Austria-Hungary Maria Theresa began construction of a new, compact and not particularly necessary for Her Majesty (one wing of the building was eventually transferred to the nunnery). When Budapest became the capital of Hungary, the palace was assigned a new role and a truly grandiose construction was started, which, starting in 1875, took a full 40 years.

This massive building gives an idea of ​​greatness, but not the first kings who reigned on this hill (Bela IV or Sigismund). It also houses such important institutions as the National Library, the Museum of the History of Budapest, and the National Gallery. Not far from the colossus of the Royal Palace, on St. George's Square, stands the less prominent Sandor Palace. This is the former residence of the Hungarian prime ministers and the current one for the presidents of the country (it was completely destroyed during World War II and reconstructed in the 90s).

But on the Royal Hill there are still buildings that are remembered by the "ancient" kings of Hungary. First of all, the main temple of Buda, the Church of the Virgin: the first mention dates back to the 13th century. The temple survived the Turkish invasion, having been the main city mosque for a century and a half. Major reconstruction took place at the end of the 19th century. The remains of Bela III and his wife (12th century) are buried here, here until 1916 Hungarian rulers were crowned. However, in size and decoration, the church is inferior to the main temple of Hungary today, the Basilica of St. Stephen (built in 1905), which rises on the opposite bank on the territory of old Pest.

Once on the Buda Hill, it is necessary to visit the underground caves that dug the mountain, as well as go through the pedestrian tunnel of the mid-19th century (it connects the Danube embankment with the western regions).

Walking around Pest, you cannot avoid Andrassy Avenue, also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: with the Opera House, the old building of the Academy of Music, the University of Fine Arts and the round square named after M. Kodai. Andrassy Avenue abuts the Heroes' Square with an architectural ensemble of museums and the Millennium monument, the symbol of the Hungarian capital. Most The most significant sights of Budapest can now be seen from the water, during a rafting excursion on the Danube or on the wonderful RiverRide bus.

The picturesque Margaret Island, a nature reserve with a wonderful arboretum park, is one of the main must-sees in Budapest. It stretches in the middle of the Danube in the very center of the capital between the Margaret and Arpad bridges.

If the Royal Castle was not enough for exploring the palaces of Hungary, we recommend going to the suburbs. Gödöllö (a place 30 km from the capital, easy to reach by commuter trains HEV) also has a royal palace, only built in the first half of the 18th century. The residence received royal favor: Franz Joseph I liked to stay here for a long time. And, after driving to Szentendre, a town on the right bank of the Danube (20 km from Budapest), we will find there many original temples of the early 18th century, museums of wine, marzipan, ceramics, museums several prominent Hungarian artists.

The neat little town of Vác (“the pearl of the Hungarian Baroque”) and one of the country's ancient capitals, Visegrad, are also must-see suburbs, where you should see the ruins of a medieval fortress on the Sibik hill and the perfectly preserved watchtower of Shalamon ... The acquaintance with Hungary continues.

10 things to do in Budapest

1. Explore the old city in Buda and on the other side, in Pest, in order to form your own opinion which of these two Budapest you like best.
2. Go on a boat trip along the Danube in the evening: wrap yourself in a blanket, admire the lighting, do not spill Tokay from a glass.
3. Inspect the baths: compare the Széchenyi, where “all of our people were,” in the city park with the Gellert baths under the mountain.
4. Start the day with a cup of strong coffee and an awful high-calorie brownie with cream, watching the old center fill up with tourists.
5. Visit the most colorful zoos in the Old World - even if you are just a child at heart.
6. Climb up to the observation deck on Mount Janos or Mount Gellert, flinch.
7. Spend a day, leisurely, in one of the city parks: feed the birds, sunbathe and take pictures of historical sites right there.
8. Surprise underground Budapest: catacombs under the castle hill, natural labyrinths in the Pal-Völdi stalagmite cave.
9. Take a ride with or without a breeze: take the funicular (silko) to the Buda Fortress, in the carriage of the world's longest tram, along the 1 (yellow) metro line with small carriages to imagine what it looked like at the end of the 19th century.
10. Dash into one of the nearest suburbs, where you will finally be greeted by natural ancient ruins and baroque untouched by creative alterations.

Museums

Among the main museums in the capital, the National History Museum of Hungary, the Hungarian Art Museum and the Hungarian National Museum of Natural History, as well as the palace complex with the Gothic temple in Buda and the Parish Church in Belvaros stand out. As a rule, museums are open from 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays.

Not so long ago, a museum dedicated to hairdressing (Fodraszmuzeum) was opened in the capital. The permanent exhibition includes a recreated hairdressing salon of the 1880s, where more than 2 thousand items are presented, including very rare tools for making wigs. And also: old hair dryers, razors, scissors, curling irons and many unusual entertaining things.

Budapest for kids

If older children share their parents' passion for architectural beauties and historical monuments, then simply open the guide and start from the old center, diluting the views with gastronomic pleasures. But even in this case, you will have to devote several days exclusively to “children's” entertainment (water park, zoo, cable car, ice rink in winter or water procedures in open parks in summer). Of course, everything depends on the interests of your child, and we will only tell you about the most "Budapest" of children's joys.

If you are lucky with the weather, we recommend one of the city parks. Be sure to visit the Margaret Island, located along the Danube just north of Old Buda and Old Pest between the Margaret and Arpad bridges. This is a completely green area active rest, as much as 100 hectares, on which there is something to do: the ruins of an ancient monastery, an operating observation deck, baths at hotels (entrance for a fee), a Japanese garden, a rose garden, fountains (including a light one, as well as a fountain with live turtles), mini - a zoo, a singing well. Huge selection of rental equipment for moving around the park (in addition to bikes and rickshaws, electric cars and electric scooters). Baths "Palatinusk" has its own beach, as well as pools and water slides; it is sometimes called "mini water park".

You can head to the Central City Park (Varoshliget), an equally striking place. The always crowded Szechenyi baths are not very suitable for children under 5-6 years old, since there are no children's pools here, but the hot springs will be of interest to everyone who is older. On the territory of Budapest, there are no architectural "miniatures" so widespread throughout Europe (reduced copies of the very buildings and monuments), but in Varoshliget there is the Vaidahunyad palace complex (this includes elements of 21 of the most famous buildings in Hungary). Next to the palace, opposite the baths, there is the city zoo: not boring with only cages and aviaries, but cute, as all visitors note. For example, elephants have a building in the style of an Indian palace, and a hippopotamus bathes in a thermal bath. Many children have never seen so many heat-loving animals at once: sloths, lemurs, panda, rhinos, anteater. V winter time(November-February) a skating rink is being poured in Varoshliget.

Are the kids tired of castles and baths? Then it's time to go on a "big trip" to Mount Janos, the highest point in Budapest (529 m above sea level), and climb the observation tower (admission is free). Desperately will have to climb only in places; The 1.5-kilometer Libegö cable car leads up the mountain. From it you need to climb to the tower for about 10 minutes. Do not think that you will use trailers on the cable car - chairs for two with a clamp-crossbar to enthusiastically turn your head and swing your legs in the air. The cable car has an alternative in the form of a children's railway. Then the ascent and descent will lose all sharpness, you will slowly ride in one of the open cars (there are no windows as such).

Combine a walk in old Buda with a trip to the Marzipan Museum: it is located on the first floor of the Hilton hotel on the Buda Hill (also known as the Fortress Mountain or Fortress Quarter), next to the Fisherman's Bastion. Marzipan sculptures, interior items, paintings, fruits and plants. The shop and cafe at the museum are not cheap. Explore the exposition, eat sweets, but it will be cheaper to buy marzipans with you elsewhere.

October

November

December

The climate is temperate continental, with significant seasonal temperature differences. As a rule, the coldest month is January, the hottest are June, July and August.

The capital of Hungary and the largest city in the country, Budapest (Budapest) is one of the most ancient cities in Eastern Europe. The first Celtic or Illyrian settlement on this strategically advantageous place in the center of the vast flat Carpathian basin appeared approximately in the 1st century BC. NS. In 89 A.D. NS. all this territory became part of the Roman province of Pannonia, and in 106 AD. NS. the town received the name Aquincum, presumably derived either from the Celtic name of the settlement Ak-Ink, or from the Roman "aqua" - water. Until the IV century, Aquincum was the capital of the province of Lower Pannonia and the location of the II auxiliary legion, but the Great Migration of Nations destroyed this idyll. In the middle of the 5th century, the Ostrogoths and Huns knock the Romans out of the region, in the 6th century these lands were occupied by the Avars (Obry) and Moravians, and approximately in 895 the Hungarian tribes (Magyars) came to the Danube from the Trans-Urals. The former nomads who settled on fertile lands quickly assimilated with the local Wallachian tribes, Aquincum was renamed to Buda (later to Obuda, that is, "Old Buda"), mastered the lying on east coast Bulgar village Pest and after a century proclaimed the first independent Magyar state. In 1361, Buda was proclaimed the capital of the Hungarian kingdom, but after the capture by the Turks (1541) it fell into decay - only a century and a half later, the Buda fortress was stormed by Austrian troops under the leadership of Eugene of Savoy, and the city began its revival. But all the same, by the middle of the 18th century, the trading Pest, lying on the eastern flat bank of the Danube, significantly exceeded old capital both in size and value, therefore it was decided to merge Buda, Obuda and Pest into one city, which happened on November 17, 1873.

Budapest has a rather characteristic geography, which could not but affect its appearance. Its western part ( Buda) lies on the slopes of relatively high (up to 527 meters on Janos Hill) limestone-dolomite uplands, abounding in caves, moreover, very large: Pálvölgyi reaches a length of 7.2 km, Szemlőhegyi - 2.2 km. The fault zone passing here "awarded" the city with one more attraction - numerous outlets of medicinal underground waters, which contributed a lot to its development in the past. Plain Pest, lying on the gentle eastern bank, is more convenient for settlement and walking, therefore, most of the city's architectural monuments are concentrated here. And the Danube dividing Budapest into two parts in this area reaches up to 230 meters wide and is replete with islands, the largest of which - Obudai-Siget, Margit-Siget, Harosh-Siget and others - are one way or another part of the urban infrastructure. Add to this a huge island. Centedrei-Sziget, dividing the great river into two branches north of the city, that is, upstream. In addition, about 17% of its territory is occupied by parks and various green areas, and the Buda hills are an ecological reserve. In combination with a huge number of architectural and historical monuments, all this makes the capital of Hungary one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.

Buda

Lying on the west bank Buda(Buda) is the historical center of the city, which was formed in parallel with the settlement of these places by the Slavs. Since ancient times, the elevated right bank, convenient for defense, was considered an excellent place to protect the Obuda quarters (Ak-Inka and Aquincum) lying just below the quarters, therefore, there have been various defensive structures since ancient times. The origin of the name Buda is not entirely clear - according to one version, it is named after the Hunnic leader Bleda (Hungarian transcription - Buda), according to the other it comes from the Old Slavonic "buda" ("house", "building"). This is the greenest part of the Hungarian capital, administratively part of the modern districts I-III, XI-XII and XXII, from which the acquaintance with the city usually begins.

The visiting card of the right bank - Buda fortress(Budai Vár), or the Royal Castle (Királyi Vár), crowning a stretch of almost 1.5 kilometers Castle hill(Várhegy). Often this area is singled out into a separate area, called Varnegyed ("Castle") in the old fashioned way, although a whole complex of beautiful historical buildings has long been spread around, almost hiding the ancient fortress walls. The first royal residence on this site was built in 1247-1265, in the XIV century many modern parts of the palace were erected, then it was seriously expanded, but the Turks who occupied the country almost did not use this complex, which subsequently suffered significantly during the liberation war. Only in 1715, King Charles VI begins the construction of a new royal palace, which ended only in 1749. During the Hungarian Revolution of the middle of the 19th century, the castle was captured by the rebels and completely burned down, therefore, in 1850-1856, the palace was actively restored, and literally 20 years later it was rebuilt again, which lasted right up to 1912. As a result, the already rather large complex turns into one of the largest palace ensembles in Europe, which includes almost fifty buildings and about one and a half thousand interior rooms. Heavy battles in 1944 again turn the castle into ruins, but the post-war reconstruction revealed many previously unknown premises, although it did some damage to the historical layout. But even this factor did not prevent the hardworking Hungarians from turning the ancient Royal Palace(Királyi-palota, Budavari Palota) into a unique historical and cultural complex, deservedly included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (2002). You can get here on a carefully renovated funicular Sikló(Budavári Sikló, XIX century) from Clark Ádám tér or by bus number 16 from Erzsébet tér.

In addition to getting to know this unique historical monument itself, which in itself can take more than one day, all kinds of museum collections are available to tourists here - the southern part of the palace complex is almost entirely given over to exhibition organizations. The largest area is occupied by the meeting Hungarian National Gallery(Magyar Nemzeti Galeria, www.mng.hu), for the needs of which wings B, C and D are given. This is one of the leading art museums the country and the entire continent, possessing an outstanding collection of Hungarian art from the Middle Ages to the present day. It was created in 1957 by merging the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as a number of city museums and private collections, so the best works of national masters are really collected here - more than 100 thousand works in total. In addition to classical examples of easel painting and graphics, separate exhibitions of wooden sculpture and wood painting of the 14th-15th centuries, examples of church art, historical and battle paintings, as well as numerous works by masters of the New Age are organized here.

Southeast palace wing E given to the meeting Museum of the History of Budapest(Budapesti Torteneti Muzeum, www.btm.hu), founded in 1887. Its exposition consists of three parts - architecture, urban history and works of art, and all of them are devoted to the formation of Budapest from the Roman period to the Second World War. Moreover, the coverage of the collection is very wide - this includes both classical types of exhibits - archaeological finds, maps, diagrams, photographs and canvases, as well as various household items, arts and crafts, crafts, weaving, fragments of architectural monuments, sculpture, ceramics, household utensils etc. The branch of the Museum of the History of Budapest is also the famous Kishzelli Museum in the nearby Obuda area. By the way, in the southern part of the museum complex you can find one of the few truly ancient objects of the castle - part of the fortress wall 14th century with a defensive tower Matze, or Buda (Buzogánytorony), as well as adjoining Ferdinand's gate(Ferdinánd-kapu) from the same period.

Well, the end of the vast courtyard of the royal palace wing F completely busy with the richest collection Szechenyi National Library(Országos Széchényi Könyvtár). Founded in 1802 by Count Ferenc Szechenyi (it was this patron who donated more than 15 thousand books from his personal collection), it is entirely devoted to historical documents and publications, one way or another devoted to Hungary - more than 8 million storage units, and in all languages ​​of the world. It is believed to contain all books ever published within the country, as well as copies of all publications about Hungary published abroad.

A monument to the Austrian commander and statesman rises in front of the main entrance to the royal palace Evgeny Savoysky, commander of the troops that liberated Buda from Turkish rule. Small figures on the pedestal symbolize the defeated Turks, and one of the columns of the fence is decorated with a sculptural image of the mythical bird Turul - the totemic symbol of many Ugric peoples, including the Magyar tribes (she was also present on the coat of arms of the legendary Attila). Similar symbols can be found on the tops of the four masts of the Budapest Freedom bridge.

At the northern walls of the Royal Palace, right opposite the Szechenyi Bridge, stands another famous monument of Budapest - Sandor's palace(Sandor-palota). Built in 1803-1806 for Count Vincent Sandor, it then belonged to Archduke Albrecht, and after 1848 it was provided for the needs of the country's government, until Prime Minister Gyula Andrassy in 1867 renovated it and made it his residence. In 1944, allied bombers turned the complex into a pile of broken bricks. After reconstruction, which lasted until 2003, Sandor Palace became the official residence of the President of the Hungarian Republic. In September, as part of the annual Hungarian Cultural Heritage Days, the palace hosts an exhibition and is open to visitors (sometimes its doors are opened for events and on weekends during the summer months).

Three hundred meters north of the palace, there is another monument of national importance - the Catholic Church of St. Matthias(Matyas Templom, www.matyas-templom.hu). The first Christian temple on this site was erected in 1015, but during the Mongol invasion it was completely destroyed. In the middle of the 13th century, King Bela IV erected a new church in the Gothic style on this site, which was rebuilt in the second half of the 14th century with the use of later elements. When the Turks occupied Buda (1526-1541), they turned the temple into a mosque, and the walls were decorated with sayings from the Koran. Therefore, in 1874-1896, it was reconstructed under the direction of Frigyes Schulek, and all of its interior design, including the famous stained-glass windows, belongs to this period. And the 80-meter bell tower of the church became the tallest structure of the Buda Castle and the entire capital, in the historical core of which, even now, you rarely find houses higher than 40 meters. In the gallery leading from St. Stephen's Chapel to the underground crypt, there is a small museum of religious art, and thanks to its excellent acoustics, the church often hosts concerts of organ and symphonic music.

From the east, the temple is framed by a huge (about 140 meters) gallery of another architectural monument of the Hungarian capital - Fisherman's Bastion(Halaszbastya). The origin of the name of this belvedere has nothing to do with defense and is very prosaic - in the Middle Ages this section of the castle was defended by the city's fishing guild, and the square itself was used for the fish trade. During the construction of the palace complex and the restoration of the church, Frydek Szulek in 1899-1905 designed and built an elegant staircase running from the Danube bank to the Buda Castle. To decorate its highest point, this elegant complex of galleries was designed with 7 conical hipped-roof towers (according to the number of tribes who founded the Hungarian state), sculptural groups, arcades and balustrades, from which a magnificent view of the Danube and Pest opens. For a walk through the towers of the bastion and the chapel of St.Michael in summer time(March - October) you will have to buy a ticket (600 forints), while in winter admission is free.

Here, in the southeastern part of the Fisherman's Bastion Square, there is an equestrian monument to the first king of Hungary - Istvan the Great, who is the patron saint of the country, in whose honor August 20 was declared the main national holiday of the country and is celebrated with mass festivities, fireworks and theatrical performances on the theme of national history. Unsurprisingly, most of these events culminate here.

From the west to the main facade of the temple adjoins Holy Trinity square(Szentharomsag ter), in the northern part of which the complex of the former Ministry of Finance is located, now given over to the exposition Houses of Hungarian wines(Magyar Borok Haza - Budai Vár). This is a real museum, providing the visitor with the opportunity to get acquainted with the products of 22 wine regions of Hungary. More than 700 varieties of local wines are presented here, 70 of which can be tasted during the examination of the exposition, and even purchased - the museum has its own trading house and offers safe delivery of purchases within Europe.

Old Town Hall of Budapest also located on the Holy Trinity Square, in its southernmost part. However, it would be more correct to call this colorful white house with a turret, built in the Baroque style by the Italian architect Venerio Keresol, Buda City Hall, since from 1710 to 1873 it served as the mayor's office in the western part of the Hungarian capital. It is interesting that the statue of Pallas Athena, who is considered the patroness of Buda, is crowned with the turret - such a phenomenon that is not typical for a Christian country. Currently, the City Hall houses the exposition of the Castle Museum, and in front of it rises a baroque Plague pillar(Column of the Holy Trinity, Szentháromság Szobor), erected in honor of the deliverance of the city from the plague.

Narrow streets diverge from Troitskaya Square in different directions Old Buda built up with palaces of the nobility and mansions of wealthy townspeople with characteristic courtyards and deep medieval cellars. Each building here has its own centuries-old history and characteristic architectural elements, so you can wander around this area almost endlessly. In addition, there are many very unusual structures here, for example, an ultramodern Hilton hotel, into which the remnants are gracefully embedded bell towers of the church of St. Nicholas(XIII century) and fragments of the Dominican church, which was once located on this site. And it will be completely unexpected for many to be accommodated here in the hotel of the beautiful Marzipan Museum, where you can not only get acquainted with the history and technology of making this delicacy, but also see copies of the most famous monuments of the planet made from it. Unsurprisingly, the city's best pastry shop is also located here.

If you climb a little Mihai Tancic street(Táncsics Mihály utca) to the north, then you can see the house in which the famous Hungarian composer Bela Bartok lived and worked - now this building houses the (Institute for Musicology) and is not bad Museum of the History of Music(Zenetörténeti Múzeum).

And on the street Szentháromság utca going from the Holy Trinity Square to the south-west, directly opposite the northern wing of the Old Town Hall, which now houses the institute Collegium Budapest, there is a famous cafe-confectionery Ruszwurm Cukrászda... During the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it was a significant competitor to the most prestigious Viennese institutions (Empress Elizabeth of Bavaria herself, the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I, loved to visit), and now it is the most authentic institution of this kind in the capital. And a block further south you can visit an interesting pharmacy museum(Arany Sas Pharmacy Museum), located in a mansion built in 1745 in the classicism style with baroque elements.

In the northwestern part of the historic quarter, on the square Kapisztran ter(named after the canonized Franciscan monk John Capistranus, whose monument is installed here), you can find another historical monument - the bell tower Church of Mary Magdalene(1274). Built in a mixed Baroque-Gothic style as the main temple of the Buda guards, the church was turned into ruins during the Second World War, so in 1997 only the bell tower was restored, which now houses 24 bells, and an observation deck is open in summer (from Thursday to Sunday , from 9:00 to 18:00). And on the site of the church nave is arranged Ruins garden, where the surviving fragments of the entire structure are presented.

From the Kapisztran ter square you can go down the street Úri útca("Lord's") to the entrance to the castle catacombs, which were used either as wine cellars, or as a hospital and a bomb shelter, or as a modern art center. Now in this underground labyrinth there is a tourist route about 1200 meters long, along which there are sculptures illustrating the most dramatic moments in the history of Hungary, as well as several themed rooms for wine tasting, receptions, relaxation and so on. Exhibitions and various cultural events are regularly held here. The complex is currently under reconstruction.

East of the Church of Mary Magdalene, you can find several scientific institutions, also occupying various mansions of the XVIII-XIX centuries, as well as a beautiful complex State Archives of Hungary(1923), which contains a huge number of historical documents. A monument dedicated to the Hungarian poet and translator is erected in front of him. Ferenc Kazinets, and nearby there is also a neo-baroque, badly damaged during the war, lutheran church(Budavári Evangélikus Templom, 1895), restored in 1948.

Vizivaros

Between the Castle Hill and the Danube, a narrow strip stretches Vizivaros(Víziváros, "Water City"), which once served as just the port outskirts of Buda, and now turned into a prestigious area with a huge number of beautiful old Baroque buildings, narrow streets and flowering gardens. Its center line is Fё street (Fő utca), which follows the route of the ancient Roman road and runs from north to south parallel to the Danube through the entire city. The center of Vizivaros can be conditionally considered a small area Batiani(Battyani, Batthyány tér), which lies 100 meters below the Fisherman's Bastion. It is dominated by the Catholic St. Anne's Church(Szent Anna-plébánia). It was built in 1740-1752 in the Italian Baroque style, but in 1763 the temple was damaged by an earthquake, and in 1773 the Jesuit order, which oversaw the construction, was disbanded, so it was consecrated only in 1805. However, even then it was constantly pursued by fires and floods, so in 1970-1984 a thorough reconstruction of the temple was carried out, which is now considered one of the best Baroque buildings in Hungary. At the same time, the unique frescoes of the dome (1771) and the nave (1938), the main altar (1773) and the old organ transferred here from the Carmelite church have been preserved.

Also in Vizivaros you can find many other historical objects - Szechenyi bridge, or Chain (Szechenyi lanchid, 1849) - the first permanent bridge connecting Buda and Pest, and one of the largest in the world at the time of construction; its continuation is the tunnel under the Fortress Hill, leading from the west to Alagút utca street, the lower station of the Sikló funicular leading to the Buda Palace, the former Capuchin Church of St. Erzhebet(XV-XVII centuries, the only building in the city that has preserved elements of the Ottoman style), Lajos fountain(1904) in Corvin ter square, Greek Catholic chapel of St. Florian(1759-1760; Fo utca, 88), the northernmost Islamic monument in Central Europe - tomb of the Turkish dervish Gul Baba(Gül Baba Turbeje, 1543-1548) in a picturesque Rose garden(Rózsakert, in 1885, the Turkish authorities bought the site with the tomb, previously used as the Christian chapel of St. Joseph, and restored it to its original form), Margaret bridge(Margit híd, 1872-1876) - the second most established in Budapest and so on.

If you go from the Szechenyi Bridge to the south, then on the southern slope of the Castle Hill you can see (Semmelweis Medical Museum) with an extensive archive and collection of old instruments, 16th century Turkish tombs(all that remains of the once vast Muslim cemetery), monument to Empress Erzhebet(this is how the name of Elizabeth of Bavaria, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I, is pronounced in Hungarian), bridges Erzhebet(Erzsébet híd, built in 1964 on the site of the bombed-out by the Nazis) and Freedom(Szabadság híd, 1894-1896, also rebuilt in 1946 after being blown up by German troops).

In the same area, there is another world famous monument - Kiray Baths, or Royal (Király gyógyfürdő; Fő utca, 84). This is one of the oldest complexes of its kind in Europe, built in 1565-1570 by Arslan Pasha right inside the fortress walls of Vizivaros, which once again indicates its importance. All 4 swimming pools are fed by the same Lukács springs as in the Middle Ages, they work here Turkish baths, massage rooms and other attributes of similar establishments. Following the Turkish tradition, the complex works on women's and men's days, and its visit by children under the age of 14 due to the special chemical composition water is prohibited.

South of the Castle Hill on the right bank of the Danube is the greenest part of Buda - Mount Gellert(Gellert-hegy). In fact, it is just an elevation of only 235 meters, but the steep and rocky eastern slopes do give it some resemblance to a mountain. For several centuries, almost the entire hill was covered with vineyards, and the Taban region covering it was an important center of winemaking. According to legends, in the Middle Ages, Sabbaths were held here, hence the name "Mountain of Witches", therefore in the 18th century a chapel was built on the top, which was a place of pilgrimage. But the hill became a truly cult place after the construction memorial of St. Gellert with a picturesque colonnade and a waterfall. According to legend, it was from this rock in the XI century that the pagans threw the Italian missionary Gerard, nailed him into a barrel studded with nails. Now the statue rises in the northern part of the mountain, directly opposite the Erzsébet híd bridge, and you can get to it simply on foot along the numerous paths with intermediate viewing platforms, which are paved in abundance along the slopes.

The very top of the mountain is crowned with a citadel ( Citadella), built by the Habsburgs in the middle of the 19th century to control the city, since from this height almost all of it lay under fire, and the events of the Hungarian national liberation uprising of 1948-1949 were still very fresh in the memory of the Austrians. At the end of World War II, the fortress became one of the last centers of Nazi resistance, therefore it was badly damaged during the fighting. Now it houses a restaurant and a hotel, as well as an observation deck with a wonderful view of the city and many souvenir shops. Its eastern part is closed by one of the most controversial monuments of Budapest - statue of Liberty... It was erected in 1947 in memory of the Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Hungary from the Nazis, and was called the Liberation Monument. However, after 1990, the bronze figure of the soldier-liberator and the scarlet star were removed from the composition, the names of the fallen Soviet heroes were erased, and the monument received a new name and a completely different meaning.

At the southern foot of the mountain, opposite the openwork steel Freedom bridge(Szabadság híd), the building of the hotel and baths Gellert is one of the most famous in Budapest. The complex was built in 1912-1918 on the site of the 16th century Turkish baths, which in turn were rebuilt from Roman baths. In 1927-1934, the complex was expanded and turned into one of the most charming objects of its kind in the Hungarian capital. It has preserved a unique ceiling and an authentic Art Nouveau setting, colorful stained glass windows and mosaics, marble columns and sculptures, and 13 pools with hot mineral water (including two outdoor), saunas, a modern medical center and massage rooms allow you to count baths "Gellert" some of the best in the country. Nearby there is also a beautiful complex built in 1973 Armenian Catholic Church(Örmény katolikus templom; Orlay utca, 6) - the main temple of this diaspora in the country.

There is a small complex on the northeastern slope of the hill baths "Rudash"(Rudas gyógyfürdő), also laid down by the Turks in the middle of the 16th century. Sometimes called the "Green Column Bath" (a strange whim of the architect - from 8 columns supporting a 10-meter dome above the main pool, one is really green), it was rebuilt in the 19th century, and for a long time only men were allowed to enter here. Now it is a public and very nice place with a full range of relevant medical services, and thermal water is supplied here from three sources at once - "Hungaria", "Atilla" and "Juventus".

Obuda

The oldest part of the Hungarian capital - Obuda(Óbuda), or Staraya Buda, lies in the north of the historical quarters of the right bank, opposite the Arpad bridge and the islands of Margit-Siget and Obudai-Siget. She grew up on the site of the Roman Aquincum, destroyed by the Huns. Under the Arpads, the settlement grew rapidly and practically swallowed up ancient buildings, so today this area of ​​old factories and high-rise buildings looks little like the historical center. However, extensive excavations and an abundance of very authentic buildings make Obuda one of the most picturesque districts of Budapest.

Roman ruins Aquincuma(Aquincum) is a visiting card of Obuda, together with the Buda Fortress and Andrassy Avenue, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. For nearly six centuries, the capital of Pannonia and the location of the Second Auxiliary Legion, it was considered the largest outpost of the empire in the northeast. A central heating system was laid here, public baths, numerous palaces and amphitheaters were built, it was a major Danube port and center of science. At the intersection of Szentendrei út and Keled út (in fact, this place lies already outside of modern Obuda), excavations at the end of the 19th century uncovered a vast complex of Roman buildings - two amphitheaters from the middle of the 2nd century AD. e., the remains of houses and streets of the ancient civil city, the ruins of Roman baths, fragments of colonnades and many other buildings. Today, there is an open-air museum called Aquincum, showing the remains of an ancient Roman city. By itself, this area is now called Rómaifürdő(literally translated - "Roman Baths"), and although it is almost entirely built up with high-rise buildings and private houses, in fact it is exactly the place where the history of this city began.

In the southern part of Obuda, between the Szentendrei út highway and the coast, there is a core of historical buildings dating back to Magyar times. Traditionally, its center is considered to be the square Fo tér(Fe, that is, "Main"), decorated with a bronze sculptural composition " Women in the rain"by Imre Varga (1923). Its main decoration is a two-story baroque Zichy palace(Zichy-kastély), built in 1746-1757 as the residence of the aristocratic family Zichy, who owned the entire Obuda in the 18th century. Currently, it houses the collections of three museums at once - Lajosha Kashshaka(Kassák Múzeum, dedicated to the work of this Hungarian avant-garde artist of the early 20th century), Victor Vasarely Museum(Vasarely Múzeum, tells the story of a Hungarian-born French painter, graphic artist and sculptor who is the founder of the "optical art" genre) and Obudai Museum, or the Obudai History Museum (Óbudai Múzeum) is a charming historical collection with carefully restored living rooms, workshops of local artisan communities and a cute collection of antique toys.

Here, in a baroque mansion on the western side of the square (Fő tér, 4), there is a charming ethnographic collection of Sigmund Kuhn(Kun Zsigmond Népműveszéti Gyűjtemeny). This passionate collector, better known to Budapest citizens as "Uncle Sigmund", together with his wife Erzsebet Szabo, in 107 years of his life, gathered in his apartment an excellent collection of folk textiles, ceramics and furnishings from all over the Carpathian basin - it became the basis of this museum. And just a block to the north (Laktanya utca, 7) is located Imre Varga Museum(Varga Imre Múzeum, Imre Varga Collection) - one of the most famous sculptors and painters in Hungary, whose works adorn not only the best collections of the country, but are also ubiquitous on the streets of cities throughout Europe.

In the middle of a small park in the western part of Obuda rises a baroque Kishzelli castle(Kiscelli utca, 108), built in the 18th century for a Trinitarian monastery. After many years of devastation, the complex was carefully restored and now houses a collection of historical Kishzelli Museum(Kiscelli Múzeum), which is a branch Museum of the History of Budapest... The exposition is dedicated to the new and recent history of Budapest, there is also a collection of the Budapest Municipal Gallery of Sculptures and Graphics (the work of Hungarian masters of the 20th century) and a collection of antique furniture, and in the Gothic monastery church concerts of classical music, film screenings and other events are regularly held.

And just 15 minutes walk to the south (Pusztaszeri út, 35) is the entrance to one of the most interesting natural sites of the Hungarian capital - Szemlőhegyi caves... This underground complex with a total length of about 2,200 meters offers visitors an abundance of breathtaking stalactite shapes, unique gypsum grottoes and wide tunnels, while specially designed lighting enhances the beauty of the cave formations. By the way, the cleanest air of the underground, the temperature of which is kept around the + 12 ° C mark all year round, is very favorable for those suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases, so a visit has a therapeutic effect. At the entrance there is an exhibition telling about the largest cave complexes of the Buda hills.

Pest

The largest and most interesting part of the capital of Hungary - Pest(Pešť) lies in the flat eastern part of the city. During the Roman period, it was called Contra Aquincum, meaning "Against Aquincum", and was a small trading settlement. After the arrival of the Huns and Slavs, Pest began to grow actively (the Magyars immediately chose the more advantageously located Buda for their settlement), but its unprotected position led to the fact that in 1241 the Mongols completely ruined the town, and the arrival of the Turks in the 16th century froze the development of both settlements for a long time ... However, after getting rid of the Ottoman yoke, it was Pest that demonstrated literally explosive growth - by the beginning of the 20th century, 5 times more people lived here than in Buda and Obud combined. As a result, over a century and a half, a huge number of palaces and rich mansions, churches and parks, shopping areas and theaters, which were a serious competitor to the imperial capital itself, Vienna, grew here. Therefore, it is not surprising that even now, a century after the formation of modern Budapest, many Hungarians call their capital in the old fashioned way - Pest.

The historical center of Pest is the district Belvaroche(Belváros, that is, " Inner city"), formed on the left bank of the Danube inside the old fortress walls. Now its borders are the Freedom Bridge and the boulevard that continues it Vámház körút in the south, boulevards Múzeum körút and Károly körút in the east as well Deák Ferenc utca in the north. Lying at the intersection of the latter Ferenc Deak Square(Deák Ferenc tér) serves as a "haven", perhaps the most famous historical monument of the area - Lutheran Church(Deák téri evangélikus templom). It was built in the neoclassical style in 1799-1808, that is, immediately after the law on religious tolerance was passed in Hungary, which allowed Protestants to freely practice their faith. And just a block further south, on the square Szervita tér, rises St. Anne's Church(Belvárosi Szent Anna Plébániatemplom, Szervita templom), belonging to the Servite Catholic order. Erected in 1725-1732, it was rebuilt several times, and the monastery that once surrounded it was completely demolished after World War II, so its unusual appearance with a high white bell tower combined features of different styles.

From the east to the Szervita tér square there is a huge City Hall complex(Főpolgármesteri Hivatal), stretching all the way to Károly körút. Tourists' access to the interior of this magnificent complex is limited, but its southern courtyard is given over to an exhibition of old urban sculpture, which contains many decorative elements that once adorned houses and wells throughout Budapest - access here is free. And from the west, the beautiful facade of the building of the former Turkish Bank, built in 1906, faces the Szervita tér square.

In the very center of Belvaroche there is a small (in this part of the city, many squares really differ little from a large intersection) Ferenciek tér... The decoration of this is an exquisite complex Parisian arcade(Párizsi Udvar, 1911) in Art Nouveau style. Today it houses a bookstore, newsstand and popular bar, but most tourists come here to see the wonderful carved interiors with delicate glass ceilings. And literally across the road (Kossuth Lajos utca) rises Franciscan Church of Pest(Pesti Ferences Templom, 1690-1743), or St. Peter's Church (Alkantarai Szent Péter templom) is one of the most visited temples in the central part of the city.

Three blocks to the west, already on the very bank of the Danube in front of Erzsebet bridge(Erzsébet híd), the main temple of the Old City rises - parish church of Belvaros(Belvárosi Plébániatemplom) - the first burial place of the remains of Saint Gellert, who was killed by pagans. The exact time of its foundation is unknown, although in 1046 it was already in operation, then the church was rebuilt several times, and in the 16th century the Turks turned it into a mosque, so in the 18th-19th centuries the temple underwent a thorough reconstruction in the Baroque style. In 1976-1977, the old iconostasis and choirs were restored, and the 2011 restoration unexpectedly opened a number of previously unknown premises, so now this temple is deservedly considered one of the most interesting in Budapest.

Just a block to the north along the coast is an area Petőfi tér, the main decoration of which is considered to be a bronze statue (1882) of the founder of Hungarian poetry Sandora Petofi and the largest in Budapest Orthodox Assumption Cathedral(1791-1801) - still working, by the way. And just a block to the east you can find one of the most famous restaurants in Budapest - Szazeves etterem("The Centennial Restaurant"), opened in 1831 and famous, in addition to its cuisine, for its rich interiors with folklore motives (the house itself is one of the protected historical monuments of the capital). It is interesting that just two blocks to the south, already behind the strip of Szabad sajtó street overlooking the Erzsebet Bridge, there is another world famous restaurant - opened in 1904 Matyas pince etterem(Március 15. tér, 7), housed in an old brewery complex.

Six blocks to the south, at the corner of Veres Pálné utca and Szerb utca, stands another religious landmark - the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. George(Szent György nagyvértanú szerb ortodox templom), or St. Gyord. Fleeing from the Turks, the Serbian settlers, approximately in 1695-1698, built a church here with donations from a large community of artisans and merchants, using the foundation of a medieval temple for this. In 1733-1752, the bell tower was erected, in 1850 - the Renaissance iconostasis, after which the temple takes on a modern look. A small garden surrounded by a stone fence with wrought-iron gates and a medallion above the entrance depicting St. George the Victorious slaying a snake gives this small but very elegant-looking temple a very recognizable and picturesque look. And around, within a radius of a couple of blocks, you can find many historic mansions and tenement houses, nowadays occupied by prestigious gymnasiums, university faculties and hotels.

And if you go northeast along Szerb utca, then literally four blocks later you can reach a whole complex of historical buildings on the street Károlyi Mihály utca, among which Eotvos Laurent University(Eötvös Loránd University), University church(Egyetemi Templom), Literary Museum Petofi(Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum) and Mihai Karoi Palace(Károlyi-palota) - the first president of the Hungarian Republic, as well as the already mentioned Franciscan Church of Pest(Pesti Ferences Templom) at the intersection with Kossuth Lajos utca.

If you walk past the Karoi Palace and the one behind it parka Károlyi kert block to the east, then you can go to Museum Boulevard(Múzeum körút), which is worth going down south to visit the majestic complex Hungarian National Museum(Magyar Nemzeti Muzeum, founded 1802) dedicated to the history and art of Hungary. It houses a rich collection of archeology and history of the country, an excellent musical exposition, books and manuscripts, as well as numismatic and portrait galleries. And if you follow further towards the river, you can see Calvinist Church(Kálvin téri református templom, 1830) and Central market complex(Központi Vásárcsarnok, XIX century) - all of them are already administratively outside Belvaros.

The main shopping street of Budapest is also a true decoration of Belvaros - Vaci(Vaci utca). Starting in the north from Vörösmarty tér, it stretches across the Old Town to Fővám tér opposite the central market. This is the real center of many shops and restaurants, cafes and prestigious hotels, theaters and nightclubs, concert and exhibition halls of all stripes. In addition, the houses and sculptural groups that form this pedestrian zone, for the most part, were built during the dawn of Budapest Art Nouveau, and therefore in themselves are distinguished by the richness of architectural solutions and sophistication of decoration.

Lipotvaros

Lying at the northern bypass of the former city walls area Lipotvaros(Lipótváros), together with the historical core of the city, is part of the V administrative region of Belváros - Lipotváros. Its name translates as "the city of Leopold" (on many historical maps it is denoted as Leopoldstadt, which is associated with the coronation act of Emperor Leopold II in 1790), and for a long time it was the location of parts of the Budapest garrison.

The historical center of the district is Vörösmarty square(Vörösmarty tér), from which the main shopping street of Budapest begins - Vaci(Vaci utca). The historic cafe "Gerbeaud" (Café Gerbeaud, Vörösmarty tér, 7) located in the northern part of the square is considered its trademark. It is the most famous coffee shop in Budapest and one of the best pastry shops in Europe, founded in 1858 by Henrik Kugler. In 1884, the famous establishment was acquired by the Swiss pastry chef Emile Gerbeau, who invented the then classic sweet konyakos meggy (caramel with cherry liqueur) and significantly expanded the range, turning the cafe into a real place of gourmet pilgrimage. At the same time, the prices here were very reasonable, and the production located in the catacombs was the most modern. As a result, "Gerbeau" quickly competed with the most prestigious coffee houses in Vienna, and even the vicissitudes of history practically did not touch upon this establishment with a unique interior decoration. Nationalization is the only period when the cafe had a different name, and even that had a very weak effect on it, and now the thoroughly renovated institution continues to delight local residents and visitors of the city, becoming a popular tourist attraction.

In addition, on the square itself you can find a lot of interesting things - apart from a very convenient metro station for tourists (Földalattivasút, "yellow line") fountain complex, statue of the poet and translator Mihai Vörösmarty, as well as two beautiful Art Nouveau buildings - the former department store complex famous for its decoration Luxus Áruház and equally ornate Bank palace(1913-1915, now - a shopping gallery). And just a block to the west is the second largest concert hall in Budapest - " Vigado"(Vigadó). Built in 1865, the building is famous for its excellent acoustics (performances of the best stage masters from all over the world), a magnificent façade, unique frescoes in the central lobby, and regular exhibitions of contemporary Hungarian art in a two-level gallery.

Literally 30 meters south of the entrance to the concert hall, there is one of the most picturesque monuments in the city - bowing to passers-by Shakespeare monument(2003) - an exact copy of the original sculpture installed in the Australian city of Ballarat (Ballarat). From the pier at Vigado square(Vigadó tér) most of the cruise lines on the Danube leave, and the surrounding area is home to many popular shopping outlets and hotels, making the area a popular tourist destination.

By the way, the Budapest metro station located under the Vörösmarty square Vörösmarty tér is the terminus on this very first line of the city (opened in 1896), and therefore an interesting metro museum is open at the nearby Deák Ferenc tér station. And on Christmas Eve, the square turns into one huge bazaar, where you can not only buy authentic gifts for the holiday, but also just sit in the numerous cafes and restaurants that surround this picturesque place in abundance.

Three hundred meters northeast of the Vörösmarty tér square is the business card of the area - Basilica of St. Stephen(Szent Istvan-bazilika). The construction of the cathedral in honor of the first king of Hungary began in 1851 and lasted as much as 54 years (in 1868 the almost finished dome collapsed, so it had to be rebuilt according to a different project), but the result was the tallest building in the city (96 meters along the bell tower, however, the parliament complex has the same height) and one of the largest churches in Hungary with a very characteristic appearance. In this neoclassical basilica with two high bell towers, you can see one of the national shrines - the chapel with the relics of St. Stephen, his beautifully illuminated statue in the altar space and other unique sculptural compositions, striking the richness of interior decoration and majestic stained glass windows with images of saints, the largest bell in the country and the very unique dome with a diameter of 22 meters, on which there is a fresco depicting the biblical story of the creation of the world.

On the north side St. Stephen's Square(Szent Istvan ter), directly opposite the basilica, there is a building Museum of Trade and Tourism(Kereskedelmi es Vendeglatoipari Muzeum). This is a rather unusual collection, mostly consisting of temporary exhibitions on the history of the city and its architecture, the development of the Art Nouveau style, fashion and art. And in the spacious upper tier of the complex, all kinds of musical, theatrical and culinary exhibitions are regularly held.

Three blocks northwest of the temple is one of significant places Lipotvarosha - extensive Freedom Square(Szabadsag ter). Until 1886, a huge complex of Neugebode barracks was located on this site, which was used to house the Austrian garrison, as a prison and place of execution for those who disliked the monarchy. It was here that one of the leaders of the Hungarian uprising of 1848 Count Lajos Battyani, as well as many other participants in those events, was executed. It is not surprising that the "Budapest Bastille" was literally hated by the people and its demolition in 1897 was received with enthusiasm, and the resulting square became a symbol of the country's independence for a long time. At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, the area around the square was built up with beautiful mansions in the style of characteristic Hungarian Art Nouveau, including modern buildings US embassies, Hungarian Radio and Television Company(Tőzsde, former stock exchange) and headquarters of the National Bank of Hungary(Magyar Nemzeti Bank). And on the east side of the American Embassy you can find one of the most picturesque buildings in Pest - post office-savings bank of the Postal Savings Bank(Postatakarék-pénztár). The building was erected in 1899-1902 according to the project of the famous architect Eden Lechner and is considered the founder of a new style that combines modernism standards with elements of national motives. And the roof, decorated with flowers, angel wings, dragon tails and other exotic motifs, has no analogues at all - when the craftsmen asked why such a rich decoration in an element completely invisible from the street, he replied: "Why shouldn't the birds admire them?"

In the middle of a small square in the center of Freedom Square rises monument to warriors Soviet army who died during the liberation of Budapest from fascism (1946), near the American embassy - monument to General Harry H. Bandholz(in October 1919 he saved many monuments of the history of Budapest from being plundered by the Romanian troops, and in the USA he is considered one of the founders of the military police), and a quarter to the north, at the intersection of Bathory utca and Hold utca streets, there is a small square with an icon lamp Eternal flame(1926), dedicated to the memory of Lajos Battyani and other victims of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. It is interesting that under the Vécsey utca street, which runs from Freedom Square to the north-west, there is " bunker Matthias Rakosi". Built to protect the top of the Hungarian Workers' Party in 1949-1953 and having exits to the metro and the parliament building, it is practically inaccessible to tourists, but a great many legends will be told about it here.

Three blocks northwest of Szabadsag ter square begins a vast green area surrounding another landmark of Budapest - Parliament building(Orszaghaz). This picturesque white-stone palace in the neo-Gothic style rises on the very bank of the Danube and is perfectly visible from the hills of Buda, and its unusual architectural style makes it one of the most beautiful administrative complexes in Europe. The complex was built between the Szechenyi and Margit bridges according to the project of Imre Steindl between 1885 and 1904. Parliament is the largest building in Hungary - 268 meters long, 24 graceful turrets and a 96-meter central dome, 90 statues of Hungarian rulers and 242 allegorical bas-reliefs, 10 courtyards, 27 gates and 691 rooms with a total area of ​​about 18 thousand square meters. meters plus a gallery of Hungarian historical and battle art. The complex, which regularly hosts excursions for tourists (including in Russian, during parliamentary sessions, access is closed), also houses one of the country's national shrines - the royal regalia of St. Stephen: the crown (Szent Korona, approximately X century), scepter, orb and sword.

Adjacent to the east Kossuth square(Kossuth Lajos tér) two more buildings were erected in the same style - Supreme Court Palace(1896, now there is an excellent ethnographical museum(www.neprajz.hu) - one of the largest in Europe) and Ministry of Agriculture(Vidékfejlesztési Minisztérium). Also on the square you can see unique examples of sculptural art - monuments to Lajos Kossuth and Ferenc Rakosi, and at the southern walls of the parliament - a sad monument to one of the most beautiful poets in Hungary, Attila Jozsefu(Attila József).

And five blocks south of the parliamentary complex, also on the Danube embankment, rises a neo-Renaissance-style building building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences(Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, XX century). From the south, the complex is adjacent Szechenyi square(Széchenyi István tér, sometimes called Roosevelt Square), the eastern edge of which forms a majestic complex Gresham's palace(Gresham-palota, 1907), which now occupies the fashionable Four Seasons Hotel. The once almost decaying building underwent a thorough renovation in 1995-2004 and now you can see many details of the original decoration here, such as the sumptuous main staircase, stained glass windows, mosaic floors, wrought iron railings and trellises, as well as a picturesque winter garden. The eastern end of the famous Szechenyi chain bridge(Széchenyi lánchíd, 1849) - the first permanent bridge across the Danube.

North of Lipotvaros lies the district New Lipotvaros(Újlipótváros), which includes the left bank of the Danube (Margaret-Sziget island is not part of this district) up to Váci út street. Administratively part of the outskirts of the XIII district of the capital, it is nevertheless considered part of the historical center of the city. Separated from Lipotváros by the boulevard of St. Stephen (Szent István körút), it has long been an industrial area, but between 1927 and 1944 it was rebuilt into a prestigious residential area, where you can still find many beautiful Art Nouveau mansions. The buildings of the early XX century - the so-called " Palatinus houses", built in 1910-1911 in a very interesting style, incorporating Art Nouveau, Classicism and many other architectural elements. The area on the banks of the Danube opposite the island of Margit-Sziget - around St. Stephen's park and along the embankment - it is the most prestigious - it is here that representatives of the middle class prefer to settle and you can see the most typical examples of local architecture, including mansions " Danube houses"(Dunapark houses, 1935) by Bela Hofstaffer and Ferenc Domani, who are considered the most prominent examples of Hungarian modernism.

In Novy Lipotvaroš it is also worth seeing Raoul Wallenberg monument(1955) at Pozsonyi út, Lehel tér square with its most beautiful Church of Saint Margaret(Árpád-házi Szent Margit-templom, built in 1933 as a copy of the destroyed Romanesque church in the village of Zhambek, 25 km west of Budapest), a very interesting exposition Hungarian Railway Museum(www.mavnosztalgia.hu) as well as relax in Dagály fürdő bathing house(Népfürdő utca, 36) with huge outdoor pools or on the 1.5 km artificial Budapest Plázs beach on Újpesti rakpart. Well, in the very north, already practically on the outskirts, the most modern water park of the Hungarian capital is located - Aquaworld(www.aqua-world.hu), one of the ten largest in Europe - its five-story central dome is 72 meters in diameter, and 17 pools offer every imaginable water recreation.

Terezváros and Erzbetváros

Since ancient times, the central part of Pest has been named Terezváros (Terézváros, "City of Teresa", VI arrondissement) and Erzsébetváros (Erzsébetváros, "City of Elizabeth", VII arrondissement). From the middle of the 13th century, these areas were inhabited by prosperous traders - Slavs and Germans in the northern part (Terezváros) and Jews in the south (Erzbetváros). As a result, the numerous mansions, warehouses, tenement houses and hotels built here in the 18th-19th centuries bear a clear imprint of the history of the dynasties that owned them and are decorated with colorful wrought iron bars, gates, weather vane and narrow windows. And the numerous courtyards at times really resemble serfs. Now it is an area of ​​embassies and banks, cafes and museums, very popular and tourists just for its authenticity.

From Erzsébet tér, just a block south of St. Stephen's Cathedral, begins perhaps the most famous street in Budapest - Andrassy ut, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This straight path was originally built according to the project of architects Miklos Ibl and Eden Lechner in 1881-1884 for the Hungarian Millennium Festival as the main artery of Pest, stretching 2.5 kilometers to Heroes' Square (Hősök tere) and Varoshliget park... Entirely built up with magnificent buildings in the eclectic, neo-renaissance and modern style, it is deservedly compared with the most beautiful streets of European capitals, and the abundance of museums and shops, cafes and restaurants, lovely monuments and cozy alleys has long made it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Hungarian capital.

The corner building closest to Erzsébet tér houses an interesting Postal Museum(Postai és Távközlési Múzeum) with a typical collection of philatelic exhibits from different eras, as well as individual exhibitions of delivery vehicles, a collection of post carriages, pneumatic mail, telegraph machines and many other interesting objects. The office of the LogMeIn company is located in the same quarter, famous for the beautiful façade elements by the Hungarian sculptor A. Strobl.

Three blocks further on the left hand will open a view of the majestic complex Hungarian State Opera(Magyar Állami Operaház). This largest theater complex in the country was built in 1875-1884 by the architect Miklos Ibl in the style of the Italian neo-Renaissance and is still considered the third in Europe in terms of stage acoustics. Equally rich is the interior decoration of the building, on which the best craftsmen of their time worked. In front of the facade are installed monuments to Franz Liszt and Ferenc Erkel(Erkel Ferenc; creator of the Hungarian national anthem and founder of the national opera) by the same A. Strobl. In addition to attending the performances, it is possible to inspect the building on your own - for this you just need to purchase a ticket for a special 45-minute tour with an English-speaking guide at the Opera Shop located at the entrance from Hajos utca Street.

On the right-hand side, directly opposite the opera, rises a picturesque Dreshler's palace(Dreschler-palota), built in 1883-1886 according to the design of Odon Lechner and Gyula Partos. For a long time, this beautiful neo-Gothic complex housed the Ballet Institute and the State Art Institute, but now it has been sold to a private investor and its fate is not completely clear. By the way, if you go down a block to the southeast along the Hajos utca street, you can see the complex New theater(Paulay Ede utca, 35), which is often called "Parisiana". This very unusual building was built at the end of the 19th century as a Secession cabaret; in 1921-1924 it was rebuilt in the Art Deco style with the use of a glass and steel facade, which was unusual for those years. Now it is one of the most popular theater venues in the capital, where performances of various genres take place.

And a block east of the opera house are Hungarian House of Photography(Magyar Fotográfusok Háza - Mai Manó Ház) and the complex Operetta theater(Budapest Operetta-theater; Nagymező utca, 17), operating here since 1923. The building was completely renovated in 1999-2001 and today, in addition to its main function, houses a luxurious nightclub on its territory Moulin Rouge, several cafes, studios and shops. And literally across the road you can find another scenic area - Drama Theater named after Miklos Radnoti(Radnóti Miklós Színház), also recently overhauled.

Two blocks to the east is a beautiful Art Nouveau building that now houses an exhibition Ernst Museum(Ernst Muzeum; Nagymező utca, 8, www.ernstmuzeum.hu). Founded in 1912 by the collector Lajos Ernst as a private collection, today it has become the most important exhibition center for Hungarian fine and applied arts of the 20th century. And literally across the street from it rises the parish Church of St. Teresa of Avila(Avilai Nagy Szent Teréz Plébánia, 1801-1811) with the most picturesque interiors and one of the oldest musical educational institutions in the country - Béla Bartok gymnasium(Bartók Béla Zeneművészeti Szakközépiskola és Gimnázium, founded in 1840).

If you move along Andrassy Avenue further to the northeast, you can go to the small squares of the Jókai tér and Liszt Ferenc tér squares. There are many noteworthy buildings around them, among which the children's theater complex stands out. Hummingbird"(Kolibri Theater; Jókai tér, 10) with branches Kolibri Pince("Hummingbird basement") and Kolibri Fészek("Hummingbird's Nest") a little further along the avenue; building built in 1904-1907 Franz Liszt Academy of Music(Liszt Ferenc Zenemuveszeti Egyetem) with a museum, Liszt research center, a large neo-Renaissance concert hall and the Bartok College of Music.

A little further begins Oktogon square(Oktogon tér) at the intersection with The big boulevard ring(Nagykörút), which is very convenient as a starting point for exploring the entire area - here is the Oktogon station of the yellow (M1) metro line and several public transport stops on Andrássy út and Teréz körút boulevards. By the way, the "yellow" metro line passing under Andrassy Avenue has rather short distances between stations - sometimes literally two or three blocks "on the ground", so it is very convenient to use it to explore the main attractions of the area. And the octagonal Oktogon Square itself is built up with beautiful buildings of the late 19th century, in which you can find numerous cafes and restaurants with open terraces in the Mediterranean style.

Three blocks further along the avenue you can go to a large exhibition complex. On the right hand there is a memorial Franz Liszt Museum(Liszt Ferenc Emlékmúzeum; Vörösmarty utca, 35) with an extensive exposition dedicated to the great composer, in which there are many authentic pieces. It also houses the former Hungarian Royal School of Painting (Magyar Kiralyi Mintarajztanoda) founded in 1871 (Magyar Kepzomuveszeti Egyetem) - the main art school of Hungary, as well as City Puppet Theater(Budapest Bábszínház). And right opposite the Franz Liszt Museum, you can find a pretty historical Café Lukács, which began work in 1912 and was widely known for its interiors and kitchen (currently closed for reconstruction).

On the left side of the boulevard and a little to the west rises the complex of the former Hungarian State Security Administration, which now houses Terror Museum(Terror Haza, www.terrorhaza.hu). The building, built in 1880 by the architect Adolf Festi, houses two highly controversial exhibitions dedicated to the period of the Nazi occupation and the Holocaust, as well as the reign of the Hungarian Workers' Party.

Three blocks further down there is a round Kodaly körönd square at the intersection of Andrassy avenue with Szinyei Merse utca and Felső erdősor streets. In its eastern part you can visit house-museum of Zoltan Kodai(Kodály Zoltán Emlékmúzeum) - one of the favorite composers of the Hungarian people. The memorial exposition with four rooms in the house where the composer lived for 43 years of his life was founded in 1990 and completely recreates the interior as it was during the master's life, and also contains many of his personal belongings, including a unique grand piano. Further, past the Budapest Stock Exchange and a suite of beautiful Art Nouveau mansions, you can go to a complex of very interesting Museum of Art of the Far East named after Ferenc Hopp (Hopp Ferenc Kelet-Ázsiai Muveszeti Muzeum; Andrássy út, 103, www.hoppmuzeum.hu), founded in 1919 and now presenting to the attention of guests 4 independent collections.

The end point of Andrássy Avenue is the extensive Heroes' square(Hosok tere), behind which the city begins Varoshliget park... Built in 1896 for the celebration of the millennium of Hungary, it was originally conceived as a national symbol and therefore absorbed in its design better the traditions of the country. In its center there is a 36-meter column of the Millennium Monument (Millenniumi Emlekmu, 1896-1929), crowned with a statue of the Archangel Gabriel, dedicated to the crossing of the Carpathians. The foot is surrounded by colonnades with sculptures of the leaders of the seven Magyar tribes and statues of other great people of Hungarian history. Nearby, there is a memorial plate in honor of the soldiers who died in the world wars - here on the days of national holidays a guard of honor is set up, and solemn ceremonies are held.

From the north, the ensemble of the square is closed by the majestic neoclassical building of the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum, 1906) - the country's largest collection of works by foreign masters. From the south, the square ends with the equally monumental complex of the exhibition hall Mucharnok (Műcsarnok, 1895), which does not have its own collection and is used for all kinds of temporary exhibitions. Behind it rises the world's largest hourglass "Wheel of Time" (diameter 8 meters!), Built in 2004 in honor of Hungary's accession to the European Union. Opposite it, across Dózsa György út Street, is the picturesque building of the Serbian Embassy (formerly the Embassy of Yugoslavia), where in 1956 the leader of the Hungarian uprising Imre Nagy and other members of his government were hiding, who were hanged on June 16, 1958 in Heroes' Square. And a little to the west, along the Lendvay utca street, you can see the complex of the French embassy and the Russian Orthodox Church (Orosz ortodox templom). Under the square is the station of the same name on the "yellow" line of the Budapest metro (entrance from the Andrássy boulevard).

The Városliget Park, which begins behind Heroes 'Square, was actually built as part of the memorial complex in honor of the Hungarians' acquisition of their homeland. It stretches east to the very square Kacsóh Pongrác út and is the largest green area in the center of Budapest, one of the favorite places for walking and holding all kinds of festive events, literally full of all kinds of interesting objects. During the planning of the park, several cultivated lakes were preserved from the swamps that once occupied the entire area, which are now the center of the entire ensemble. On the banks of the largest of them, Városligeti-tó, stands the park's trademark - Vajdahunyad Castle. It was originally built of wood in 1896 by the famous architect Ignaz Alpar as a historical pavilion, reflecting all the architectural traditions of the country, gathered in one place. In 1904-1908, it was rebuilt in stone as a complex of 21 buildings - copies of various historical structures with their own characteristic national flavor and style inherent in one or another region of Hungary. In one of the outbuildings of the castle there is the Agricultural Museum (the first in the world, by the way!), In the courtyard there is a statue of Anonymus, who wrote the legendary chronicle Gesta Hungarorum ("Acts of the Hungarians") in the 12th century, and nearby there is a monument to the architect of the castle Ignaz Alpar (Shockl) ...

Just 300 meters north of the castle is another famous building of the Hungarian capital - Szechenyi baths(Szechenyi-gyogyfurdo, Szechenyi furdo). This is the largest complex of its kind in Europe, built from the very beginning (1909-1938) for taking wellness procedures. It includes 3 external (1926) and 15 internal pools with different water temperatures, an outpatient balneotherapy facility, several saunas, a drinking pavilion, a mud department, a salt bath and many other health structures. All this splendor is fed by the waters of the well of St. Stephen No. 2 (this is the hottest thermal spring in Europe - + 74-77 ° C) and half a dozen more small ones, which allows setting different conditions in different reservoirs of the bath when mixing. At the same time, artificial flow, jet massage, bubble baths and other useful elements work in separate pools. And the building of the complex itself, with its numerous statues, fountains, unique elements of interior decoration and mosaic paintings of domes, is considered one of the best examples of neo-Renaissance eclecticism in Europe. It also regularly hosts "Bathing Night" and summer holiday Cinetrip, during which the complex opens its doors at night.

And after taking wellness procedures, you can sit in the cafe of the baths, take a leisurely walk along the green paths of the park or visit other interesting places. Varoshliget park - the circus(Fővárosi Nagycirkusz), amusement park(Vidampark, currently under reconstruction), zoo with a botanical park (opened in 1865, more than three thousand animals and about 700 species of plants), the famous restaurant " Gundel"(Gundel, 1894), as well as a monument in honor of the anniversary of the 1956 revolution.

One of the best exhibition and concert venues in Budapest rises in the southeastern part of the park - Petofi hall(Petofi Csarnok, often simply called PeCsa), consisting of a 1020 square meter hall and an open stage that can accommodate up to 4500 people at a time. And right behind it is Hungarian Transport Museum(Magyar Műszaki és Közlekedési Múzeum), also built in 1896 to celebrate the millennium of the Hungarian homeland. Despite its almost complete destruction in 1944, this museum continues to be one of the best technical exhibitions in Europe, which brings together not only various vehicles and mechanisms (some are exhibited in the open air), but also many elements of the now lost architectural details of the city - churches, palaces, bridges, and so on.

In the southern part of Erzbetváros, at the corner of Wesselényi utca and Wesselényi utca, rises Dohany Great Synagogue(Nagy Zsinagoga; Dohany utcai zsinagoga, www.dohanystreetsynagogue.hu) is the largest religious building of its kind in Europe and the second in the world. It was built in 1854-1859 in the Byzantine-Moorish style according to the project of Lajos Foster (Ludwig Förster), who had previously created a synagogue in Vienna. However, the elegantly decorated interior with beautiful frescoes, a decorative oriental wall and chandeliers was completed only 5 years later by Frieds Fesl, and since then it is a truly majestic building (length - 75 m, width - 27 m, height - 44 m), accommodating up to 3000 worshipers, became the spiritual center of the vast Jewish diaspora of Budapest. During the Nazi occupation, the entire area was turned into a huge ghetto, more than 724 thousand Jews were killed, and the synagogue was desecrated and plundered. Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park in the courtyard of the temple, it was designed by the sculptor Imre Varga in the shape of a willow, whose metal leaves bear the names of Hungarian Jews who died during the Holocaust. And across the street from the synagogue is a building Jewish Museum Budapest(Magyar Zsidó Múzeum és Levéltár), built in 1929-1931 on the site of the house where the founder of Zionism, Theodor Herzl, was born.

Three blocks northeast along Wesselényi utca you can find Hungarian Electrotechnical Museum(Electrotechnology Museum) with an excellent collection dedicated to the development of radio electronics and technology in the country. Do not forget that the Hungarian People's Republic during socialism was the leader of the Warsaw Pact countries in terms of the quantity and quality of electrical products, and even now, products with the Tungsram brand (EIVIRT, now a division of GE) and Novotech occupy a significant place on the Russian market. A beautiful building of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology adjoins the museum from the north Eotvos Laurent University.

Jozsefvaros and Ferencvaros

To the east and southeast of the historic core of Pest lie areas once inhabited by more modest people. Jozsefvaros(Józsefváros, District VIII) and Ferencvaros(Ferencváros, district IX). Built up mainly in the 17th-19th centuries, these quarters by the beginning of the 21st century were pretty dilapidated and underwent intensive rebuilding, however, you can find many historical monuments here too.

Usually, acquaintance with the area begins with the largest and oldest in the city. Central Market(Központi Vásárcsarnok), which lies at the end of the main shopping street of the city - Váci utca, behind the Customs Boulevard (Vamhaz korut). Despite the fact that the complex still performs its direct functions (more than 10 thousand square meters. Meters of retail space), this beautiful building built in 1897 with neo-Gothic elements is considered a real architectural monument. Also nearby is the UNESCO-listed building complex Corvinus University(Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem, 1920), embankment Salkaházi Sára rakpart, liberty bridge(Szabadsag hid) and small Fővám tér square.

Walking along the boulevards a little further to the east, you can see the already mentioned Calvinist Church(Kálvin téri református templom), red brick mansion College of Fine and Applied Arts(Képző-és Iparművészeti Szakközépiskola és Kollégium), urban the Erwin Szabo library in the former palace of Wenckheim (XIX century), an extensive complex of the oldest medical educational institution in Hungary - Semmelweis University(Semmelweis Egyetem, founded 1769), building Peter Pazman Catholic University(Pázmány Péter Katolikus Egyetem, founded in 1635) and the most popular House of the Hungarian Palinka(Magyar Pálinka Háza) on Rákóczi út street.

Almost across the street from the complex Semmelweis University there is a Moorish-style mansion built in 1893-1896 according to the project of Eden Lechner and Gyula Partos with an emerald green roof, lined with the famous tiles of the Zsolnay company. Now the exposition is located here Museum of Applied Arts(Iparművészeti Múzeum), which stores unique works of decorative art, textiles, clothing, jewelry, cutlery and watches from the 16th-21st centuries, as well as the heirlooms of the Esterhazy family. Here you can also see a large collection of the firm Zsolnay Porcelánmanufaktúra Zrt, which since 1853 has been producing not only excellent pottery for utilitarian purposes, but also many decorative ceramics of all styles (the main part of the collection is kept in the museum of the South Hungarian city of Pecs).

And two blocks to the west, behind the square park Markusovszky tér, you can find a very unusual Bible Museum(Ráday Gyűjtemény - Biblia Múzeum). It was opened in 1988 and currently presents 4 collections dedicated to archeology and its connection with biblical history, historical aspects of Scripture, the history of the publication of the Bible in Hungarian and other dialects of the planet. The most valuable exhibits in the collection are a copy of the so-called Vizhoi Bible (1590 - the first copy of the Holy Scripture, fully translated into Hungarian) and a book published in 1608, which belonged to Prince Györd Rákóczi I, one of the leaders of the war against Austrian rule.

Further east, behind the ring of boulevards Ferenc körút and József körút, it is worth visiting a beautiful neo-Renaissance complex built in 1881-1884 Keleti station(Keleti pályaudvar, meaning "Eastern", the largest and busiest in the city). To the south of it, behind the ultra-modern shopping center Arena Plaza, lies a huge cemetery Kerepeshi(Kerepesi, 1849) - one of the oldest in Europe and the most famous in the city. Here are the mausoleums of Abraham Gantz, Lajos Battyani, Ferenc Deak and Lajos Kossuth, as well as the graves of many other famous political figures of the country, writers, artists and scientists.

Five blocks to the south is a picturesque Ortsi park(Orczy park) with a small pond and the complex of the former royal military academy "Ludovika" (Ludovika Academy, 1836), which now houses Hungarian Museum of Natural History(Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum), theater "Barka"(Bárka Theater), Raoul Wallenberg School of Social Sciences and an arboretum. A green area begins just across the road north of the park Budapest Botanical Garden(Füvészkert) - the first complex of its kind in the country (founded in 1771, opened on this site since 1847). Here, on the territory of more than 3 hectares (plus 2000 square meters of greenhouses and greenhouses), you can see more than 8 thousand plants of 150 species from all over the world, and some neglect of the park only gives it its charm. And to the west is another campus Semmelweis University, even more extensive, the closer to the center.

Also known as the "Temple of Remembrance" can be found nearby. Presbyterian Church in Oradea Square(Nagyvárad téri református templom, 1930-1935), the Church of Our Lady (Magyarok Nagyasszonya Templom) on Rezső tér Square, a complex of former cavalry barracks and the state mint (now a multifunctional cultural and office center at Üllői út, 102), a sports complex Groupama Aréna, the Church of the Holy Cross (Szent Kereszt templom), many old mansions and shopping centers, as well as the vast park area of ​​Népliget ("People's Park") - the largest in the city: here are interesting planetarium TIT Budapesti Planetárium and the largest in the city youth E-klub. In the very southeast, already within the 19th arrondissement of the capital, there is a small but very unusual collection of the Museum of Hairdressing Art (Fodrász Múzeum, street Ady Endre, 97-99), which is a carefully recreated hairdressing salon of the late 19th century with all the tools and paraphernalia establishments of this kind.

Well, in the very south-west of Ferencváros, in the triangle between the embankment and Soroksári út and Rákóczi híd streets with the last bridge of the same name (often called in the old-fashioned way - Ladmanyosi, Lágymányosi híd) across the Danube, there is a whole museum complex. It includes Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art(Ludwig Múzeum Budapest - Kortárs Művészeti Múzeum) is the best of the Eastern European branches of this collection in Cologne (opened 1990), (Művészetek Palotája) and National Theater(2002). Quite often, the block lying to the north, at the intersection with Dandár utca street, is also referred to here, Museum of the national Hungarian liqueur "Unicum"(Zwack Unicum Múzeum és Látogatóközpont), created in 1790 by the imperial court physician Josef Zwack and has since been a popular export commodity.

Buda hills

Outside the historic part of Buda lies the vast residential area of ​​West Budapest (districts XI, XII and XXII, as well as part of Obuda), which is not so often visited by tourists. This vast area is often collectively referred to simply as the Budai Hills (Budai-hegység). The green areas of the western outskirts were built up mainly in the 19th-20th centuries, and to this day many residents of Budapest keep their summer houses here, so there is no need to look for any special historical monuments here. However, among the cozy mansions and narrow streets of the Buda Hills, there are many interesting places, among which the old cogwheel funicular (Fogaskerekűvasút, opened in 1874 and at that time was considered the third in the world!), Which is its endpoint, the beautiful Széchenyi-hegy hill (427 m) - now one of the most prestigious residential areas of the Hungarian capital, the children's narrow-gauge railway Gyermekvasút built in 1948-1951, which runs through the most beautiful places, as well as the children's playground Csillebérc. The highest point of the region is Janos Hill (János-hegy, 527 m) with observation tower Erzsébet Romanesque Lookout (open daily from 8:00 to 20:00, admission is free) - nearby is the Normafa Recreation Center, the already mentioned Bartók Béla Emlékház, a large memorial museum under the Láto-hegy hill - from March to June, among other things, excellent chamber music concerts are organized here, as well as the burial place of many famous people of the country - the old Farkasréti ("Wolf Meadows") cemetery, two kilometers west of Mount Gellert. Interestingly, it is on Farkasréti that wooden monuments are still found, the inscriptions on which are made with unique Hungarian runes (the "Sekei alphabet", named after one of the Magyar tribes), which can still be seen on road signs throughout the country.

Also noteworthy are the quite democratic baths Csillaghegy and Pünkösdfürdő in the very north of the district (in fact, this is already a suburb of Bekashmedier), the picturesque area of ​​the Schwabhegy villas (Svábhegy, XII district), the Libegő chairlift between Zugliget and the observation tower (Ján hill) an extensive recreational area Budakeszi Vadaspark in a large protected forest with a children's zoo and a large number of animals just walking in meadows and meadows, a huge Challengeland Adventure Park playground, Pál-völgyi and Szemlő-hegyi caves, Külkereskedelmi Sportpark also in the very west, and the most popular Hungarian restaurant Náncsi Néni Vendéglője ("Aunt Nanchi"; Ördögárok út, 80) with a small park near the Hűvösvölgy station. There are also many walking and cycling paths in these places, but you can also get a lot of impressions just walking among the gardens and old residential buildings with their friendly inhabitants.

And in the very south-west of the city, but also within the XII district, there is the Museum of Monuments, or Park-Reminder (Szoborpark museum, Memento Park), which contains sculptures of the communist period and many attributes of that era - from music records and awards to old cars and interior items. Getting here is not easy: first take trams # 19 or 49 to the Etele ter stop, and from there take the yellow Volanbusz shuttle bus to the Szoborpark museum stop.

A little further south is the "Palace of Miracles" (Csodak Palotaja, Nagytétényi út, 37-43, www.csopa.hu) - an entertainment and exhibition complex for children with a clear developmental bias. In addition to all kinds of interactive exhibitions, experimental playgrounds and themed play rooms, interesting lectures by scientists (in Hungarian) are held here every day. The complex also has a tropicarium, a cafe, a photo studio and a hypermarket. It is very easy to get here either by bus or by train - the Budatétény station is located right outside the walls of the complex. After visiting the technical exhibition, you can walk south, towards the Danube bank, where the green zone of the floodplain forest reserve of the island of Haros-Sziget (Háros-szigeti Ártéri-erdő Természetvédelmi terület) or descend along the Nagytétényi út (300 meters Nagytétényi Kastélymúzeu, 18th century) with a very interesting exposition of the Museum of European Furniture and Clothing, as well as a pretty park to the north.

Budapest islands

The abundance of islands in the Danube channel gives the Hungarian capital a very picturesque look. Having been mastered by people since ancient times, they, nevertheless, did not become a concentration of urban development and retained some pastorality. Almost in the very center of the city, between the Margaret bridge (Margit híd) in the southern part and the Arpad bridge (Árpád híd) in the north lies the island of Margit-Sziget (Margit-sziget). In Roman times, it was the summer residence of the commander of the Aquincum garrison, in the Middle Ages there was a Dominican monastery, in which, in fulfillment of a vow, King Bela IV gave his daughter Margaret, who was later canonized - hence the name. The island is small - about 2.5 by 0.3 km (area - 0.96 sq. Km), and after the decline of the monasteries (and here lived the Augustinians, Franciscans, and Dominicans) during the Ottoman rule, it was practically not used for a long time. But after the start of active development of Pest and the appearance of bridges, it quickly turned into a green park, and in 1908 it was declared a public garden, which instantly became one of the favorite recreation places of the townspeople, so it can be noticeably crowded on weekends. The passage of vehicles on the territory of Margit-Siget is prohibited, an exception is made only for taxis serving hotels, tourist buses, electric vehicles and ... cycle rickshaws.

Now you can see the ruins of the monastery and the chapel of St. Michael (Szent Mihály kápolna, XIII-XVI centuries), a UNESCO-protected light and music fountain (Zenélő szökőkút, XIX century) and a 57-meter Art Nouveau water tower (1911), nearby Japanese garden with a pond and fish (it is interesting that the reservoir does not freeze even in winter, since it feeds on thermal waters from a local source), a memorial in honor of the centenary of the city's unification (Centennial Memorial, 1973), specially built for open-air concerts music pavilion Zenélő kút (rather a small rotunda, not to be confused with the Zenélő szökőkút fountain lying on the opposite end of the island), the Artists' Alley (Muvesz setany) with busts of Hungarian art masters, an open theater, an extensive rose garden (Rózsakert) in the very center of the island and lying to the east of it tiny zoo with exotic birds. The largest outdoor swimming complex in Budapest is also located here - the Palatinus Strandfürdő water park (1921) and the beach of the same name, the Hajós Alfréd Nemzeti Sportuszoda National Sports Pool (named after the architect who designed it - the two-time Olympic champion in 1896), a tennis stadium ( Margitszigeti Atlétikai Centrum Szigetklub).

More than 5 km of walking and cycling paths with a special surface are laid across the island, there are several view terraces, a small boathouse for yachts and very prestigious hotels - at the northern end of the island is the Danubius Grand Hotel Margitsziget and Danubius Health Spa Resort with its own thermal spring. These are full-fledged thermal spas with a full range of various medical services (water from here is also supplied to two hotels "on the mainland" - Aquincum on the Buda coast and Danubius Helia in Pest). Well, in the southern part of the island you can stay in a small Green Island Hostel, Margit-sziget.

The island of Obudai-Sziget (Óbudai-sziget, Hajogyari-sziget) lies nearby and slightly north of Margit-Siget, stretching slightly under the Arpad bridge (Árpád híd). It was once a peninsula, whose configuration was very suitable for the construction of the Obuda shipyards, hence the name. Shipbuilding workshops dating back to Roman times occupied all of its southern and northeastern parts; in 1836, the first paddle steamer on the Danube was launched here. Now closed in 1999, the shipyard complex is gradually transforming into a large trade and exhibition space, and a golf and yacht club has also been opened here. And the entire northern part of the island is occupied by a forested area with extensive wetlands, where thousands of migratory birds stop by every year. Every year in August, one of the largest open music festivals in Europe, Sziget Fesztivált, is held in the park area.

Directly opposite, on the left bank of the Danube, lies the island of Népsziget (Szúnyog-sziget). In fact, this is a peninsula, which also owes its appearance to shipbuilders who filled up a narrow channel between the "Komarino Island", as it was called at that time, and the coast. The resulting bay was used as a winter harbor, later the Ganz Danubius shipyard was opened here. At the end of the 19th century, the New Pest Railway Bridge (Újpesti vasúti híd) passed through the northern third of the island, along which special bicycle and pedestrian paths were laid during a complete reconstruction in 2008. Now Nep-Sziget is another popular recreation area in the Hungarian capital - there are two public beaches, a small marina with a rowing center (Budapest Evezős Egyesület, canoes and kayaks), more than 5 km of paths in the park area, a dog school and more. However, the old shipyard is still working, so lovers of industrial tourism will also find it very interesting here.

Almost the entire southern part of the city is formed by the Csepel-sziget island. Its northern part is occupied by the XXI district of the capital, and in the center and in the south there is a whole series of independent cities - the island is the largest on the Danube (257 sq. Km). In Hungarian history, Csepel occupies a special place - it was this territory that went to the Magyar tribe under the leadership of Arpad, it was from here that the Hungarian expansion began, covering the whole of Pannonia and Transylvania. Almost until the 19th century, the island's lands remained sovereign royal possessions (Ráckevei, together with the adjacent right bank of the Danube, this term has survived to this day as the designation of the entire region and as the name of the town of Rackevei in the southern part of the island) and was used for arable land, vineyards and orchards, therefore these lands are very pastoral today. In the middle of the 20th century, the south experienced an era of active industrialization, but the northern districts of Csepel gradually began to be built up with Budapest suburbs, where low-rise buildings and high-rise buildings of a completely Soviet style are bizarrely combined. Tourists rarely wander into these areas, but here you can also find many interesting objects, such as the Csepel gallery and the collection of the same name, the picturesque Szent Imre tér square with a chapel Holy Mother of God(Kisboldogasszony templom), the city garden of Csepel-Kertváros, the picturesque area of ​​the Háros villas around the lake Kavicsos-tó, the Királyerdő area often called the "garden city" with the Church of the Immaculate Virgin Mary (Szűz Mária Szeplőtelen Tam Szíve) and the parks Akarádiska-utiskai , Csepeli Temető cemetery and so on. Many are attracted by the unusual buildings of the area, in which the rectangular layout suddenly turns into some kind of chaos of streets and U-shaped passages bent at absolutely inconceivable corners - very green and picturesque at the same time.

And the northern bypass of the capital forms another huge island - Szentendrei-sziget, stretching up the Danube for as much as 31 km. Formally not part of Budapest, in practice it is the city's favorite place for outdoor recreation, and all the settlements here are summer cottages for residents of the capital. In addition, 700 local wells are the main source of drinking water for the capital, there are protected wetlands (25 protected plant species and 205 bird species), old floodplain forests and meadows, so the whole island is one large nature protection zone with a separate national park (part of Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Park).

On Sentenderei-Sziget, the resort village famous for its clean air and beauty of nature deserves attention Horanyi(Horány) on the east bank, new reformist church(1771) in Szigetmonostor, eco-farm Horse farm monostori, Reformed Church(1788) and Esterhazy mansion(now the cafe Eper Csárda) in Pócsmegyer, equestrian center Ferenc Bodor at the Tahitótfalu Bridge, endless strawberry fields, where you can buy the freshest berries on the sidelines in season, an equestrian center and a club Zablakert in the very center of the island and the nearby flying club Modellrepülőtér- a real Mecca of local aircraft modelers, a stud farm and a riding school Halápi Lovastanya, Protestant (1803) and Catholic (1719) churches, plus the ruins of Roman watchtowers in a picturesque village Kishoroshi(Kisoroszi), as well as numerous summer camps, campgrounds and beaches, restaurants and cafes scattered throughout the island.

You should not be surprised at the abundance of equestrian farms on Sentenderei-Sziget - the whole history of Hungary is closely connected with horses, so equestrian sports are the favorite form of recreation. Many Budapest residents keep their personal pets in local stables, visit them on weekends, walk and train with pleasure, so all the related infrastructure is excellently developed here. And on the island itself there are about 55 km of cycling, horse and hiking trails, closely intertwined with each other.

Tourist Office of Budapest

The main office of the Budapest Tourist Office (www.budapestinfo.hu) is open daily from 8:00 to 20:00, information points are scattered throughout the city, there are also at the airport and many shopping centers... Here you can find out all the necessary information about the capital, get free brochures and maps, buy tickets for public transport, concerts and excursions.

Here you can also purchase a very easy-to-use Budapest Card (www.budapest-card.com), which provides a large set of discounts and free admission to a number of museums, baths, excursions and so on, plus free movement around the city using any of the public transport selected card. Also, the Budapest Card is sold in many hotels, transport and tourist bureaus, in large ticket offices of the public transport system (BKV), additional discounts are provided when buying online. It is signed upon sale in the name of the owner and cannot be transferred to another person.

The card comes with a free Budapest Card brochure in 6 languages ​​(Hungarian, English, German, Russian, French and Italian).

Around there are strange people with faces full of delight, hung with video cameras, two or even three cameras, which now and then click them and look at the maps of the city. A separate nation is tourists. There are so many of them that the locals are almost invisible behind the video camera anthill. A virtual sight! This is how one of the European capitals looks today.

Budapest. This is not surprising, because not only individual houses, but also entire unique architectural quarters of the city, the center with bridges over the Danube in 1989 were recognized as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dossier on Budapest

The fact that Budapest is formed by two cities located on both sides of the Danube - the old Buda and the commercial Pest, is probably known to everyone.

Therefore, it was a kind of discovery to find out that in reality and relatively recently, only in 1873, three were united into one city: Pest, Buda and Obudu.

It was on the territory of Obuda at the beginning of the 1st Art. the ubiquitous Romans took part in the creation of the modern “pearl of the Danube”. There they founded the city of Aquincum (that is, "a lot of water", there are over 120 hot springs on this territory). In 896, the Magyars came here, creating their own state, which was headed by King Saint Stephen (his name is highly respected even today). And from 1541 the Ottoman Empire reigned here for 150 years. It is to the Turks that the city owes many baths built on thermal springs... In 1686, the rule of the Ottomans replaced the rule of the Habsburgs, then from 1867 - the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Therefore, in Budapest, architectural masterpieces of different eras and styles are intricately intertwined.

Shall we wander? Buda

...Morning. In the underpass, we, as tourists, were simply brilliantly played a wonderful mix of Hungarian melodies. Full immersion in the national!

Don't try to conquer Budapest right away. The main thing is your own priorities. The most outstanding Budapest beauties can be roughly divided into two main parts: the city center - both banks of the Danube and a little further part of Pest - Heroes' Square with a city park.
As in any western city, it is worth starting with its heart - the royal palace.

It rises pompously on the steep right bank of Buda. The entrance to the palace is decorated with the Turul bird, which defended the tribes that came to the lands of modern Hungary.

The Buda fortress was founded in 1241 after the Turkish raids. Then, as often happened, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. And only at the end of the nineteenth century. the palace took on the forms we were accustomed to.

This is a real city with numerous courtyards and courtyards, flower beds (the floral pattern is necessarily changed every month), monuments, fountains, the residence of the President of the Republic, in which, as befits a city, excavations are being conducted (the remains of a medieval castle were discovered).

- Sit down, - the tour guide invites. And so there is no need to repeat it twice - those who were tired of the midday heat instantly covered the fountain (even without water in it).

- And the little deer was left alone. And poor girl Ilonka, who happened to be in the forest there, took pity on him. The king was moved by this, and he invited Ilonka to the palace. In her grief, the girl in a simply dressed man did not recognize the king. And when she found herself in a magnificent palace, she realized that this was not her fate. Filled with bitter tears, she walked away.

All the characters of the fountain are arranged in a hierarchy: the king is at the top, the servants are below, and Ilonka is, as befits the poor, below the royal dogs.

The palace is beautiful not only externally. In its buildings - the Museum of the History of Budapest, the National Gallery and the National Library. Széchenyi.
From the terrace of the royal palace, beautiful panoramas open to the left flat Pest bank, to numerous bridges (2 of which are railway, 7 are automobile). And, of course, to the Chain Bridge - the first bridge across the Danube, in 1849 finally connecting Buda and Pest.

It was built for 10 years on the initiative of Istvan Szechenyi, an outstanding reformer. Chains piercing the gates-arches are fixed on the shore underground in special rooms. Now it is one of the most popular symbols of Budapest.

To the side, on the Buda coast, is Mount Gellert (140 m above the Danube). At the top is the Citadel, the Freedom Monument and a monument to Bishop Gellert himself. According to legend, in 1046 he was thrown from the mountain by pagans for preaching Christianity.

However, the impressions will double - walk about five minutes from the palace to the Holy Trinity Square. Suddenly there appears a light white Cathedral of the Virgin, or Matyasha, XIII century. Even through the forests (the cathedral is now under restoration), its beauty is captured.

It was here that some of the Hungarian kings were crowned. Thanks to its excellent acoustics and organ, Ferenc Liszt and Zoltan Kodai gave concerts under its vaults. There is real excitement around him! Several nuns from the tourist group, dashingly wielding mobile phones, at least leave the cathedral "in memory" in this way.

The building is very appropriately surrounded by the towers of the Fisherman's Bastion, 1895. As light as a sand castle, they harmoniously merge with the cathedral.

And also on the Fisherman's Bastion I was struck by a small model of the square itself. Nothing special, but there are Braille texts nearby. Layout for the blind! For those who, having felt the forms and fonts, thus “see” the beauty and “read” about it ...

In the middle of the spacious square is the Holy Trinity Monument in memory of the victims of the plague epidemic in 1713.

Are the first signs of heat and fatigue making themselves felt? Nearby are spectacular horse-drawn carriages. Let's go for a walk!

Narrow streets, past the Hilton Hotel, built on the remains of historic buildings, to the Vienna Gate Square - luxurious palace in the neo-Romanesque style (now the State Archives).

And the romance of the streets of the Fortress Mountain with houses of the XIII – XVI centuries!

Mmm ... Heart melts sweetly ...

Let's take a walk? Pest

From the Fortress Mountain of Old Buda, you can go down the funicular. The second in the world, it was built in 1870 using the most advanced technologies of that time. If you have children with you, they will be delighted!

... through the already mentioned Chain Bridge we get to Pest.

This summer there were heavy rains, and the Danube overflowed its banks, flooding the piers, the nearest roads and cafes. Unfortunately, nowadays it is difficult to call the Blue Danube (like many other European rivers). They do not bathe in it.

“I didn’t want to create a new style for the new Parliament,” said Steindl Imre, winner of the competition for the construction of the Parliament in 1880. Truly classic neo-Gothic lines are combined with baroque elements, Byzantine and Venetian decoration. The building is decorated with 365 towers (the number of days a year), and the total length of all stairs is 20 km. The unique ventilation system of the Parliament - 20 degrees both in summer and in winter throughout the entire building. Despite the fact that meetings of the National Assembly are held here, tourists are not denied excursions. Such greatness cannot be kept behind seven locks!

On both sides of the Parliament there is a small monument in honor of the 1956 revolution, which was ruthlessly crushed by Soviet tanks. Opposite is the Ethnographic Museum (once the Palace of Justice).

And then just eyes run up! Here is the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, then the majestic Basilica of St. Stephen. And the white light bridge Erzhebet! Until 1926, it ranked first in the world as the longest suspension bridge.