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| Major Sights |
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| Buda Royal Castle |
Buda Castle is the historical castle complex of the Hungarian kings in
Budapest, Hungary, first completed in 1265. In the past, it was also called Royal Palace
Buda Castle was built on the southern tip of Castle Hill, next to the old Castle District which is famous for its medieval, Baroque and 19th century houses and public buildings. It is linked to Adam Clark Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge by the Castle Hill Funicular.
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| Fisherman's Bastion |
Fisherman's Bastion is a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill in Budapest, around Matthias Church. It was designed and built between 1895 and 1902 on the plans of Frigyes Schulek. Between 1947-48, the son conducted the other restoration project after its near destruction during World War II.From the towers and the terrace a panoramic view exists of Duna, Margaret Island, Pest to the east and the Gellért Hill.Its seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 896.
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| Matthias Church |
Matthias Church is a church located in Budapest, at the heart of Buda's Castle District. According to church tradition, it was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015. The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church of medieval Buda and the sixth largest church of medieval Hungarian Kingdom.
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| Synagoge |
The second largest synagoge is in Budapest. The Orthodox synagogue in Rumbach Street was built in 1872 to the design of the Viennese architect Otto Wagner. The Moorish Revival synagogue has eight sides and although the interior is under restoration, the octagonal, balconied, domed synagogue intricately patterened and painted in Islamic style is exquisitely beautiful. It was built not as an exact replica of, but as an homage to the style of the octagonal, domed Dome of the Rock Muslim shrine in Jerusalem.
It is a beautiful combination of Moorish, Islamic and Art Nouveau style.
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| Parliament |
The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube, in Budapest. It is currently the largest building in Hungary, and the second largest Parliament in Europe.
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| Saint Stephen's Basilica |
Sheltering a sacred relic of King Stephen I, St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest is the largest church in Hungary. Construction on the Bazilica was completed in 1905 after over 50 years of construction. The dome collapsed in 1868, requiring the builders to start over from the ground up. Three leading architects, two of whom died before work was finished, directed the design. After its completion, St. Stephen's was considered so sturdy that important documents and artworks were stored in it during World War II bombings. In 2002, St. Stephen's Square was remodeled as part of a new pedestrian area. In 2003, the church exterior was fully cleaned and renovated.
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| Citadel |
The fortress of the Citadel was built by the Habsburgs in 1851 to demonstrate their control over the Hungarians.
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| Gellért Hill |
The Gellért hill received its name after St. Gellért who came to Hungary as a missionary bishop upon the invitation of King St. Stephen I. around 1000 a.d. His task was helping the Hungarians convert to Christianity. Some pagan leaders who did not want to convert captured St. Gellért and rolled him down from the hill in a barrel. The St. Gellért monument and its fountain representing his martyrdom can be found on the Northeastern slope of the hill facing the Elisabeth bridge.
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| Széchenyi Bath |
Budapest can rightly be called the city of spas, and the Szechenyi Bath and Spa was its first thermal baths on the Pest side. At the time, back in 1881, it was called "Artesian Bath", and was only a temporary establishment. In 1913, it was converted into a permanent bath, and received its present name and most parts of its pretty yellow building complex. In 1927, beach sites, as well as public bathing departments for gentlemen and ladies were added. In 1960, another expansion added a group thermal section and a daytime outpatient hospital. The year of 1999 saw a complete reconstruction of the swimming pools. Water filtering and circulation devices were added, and the fancy bath received high standard equipment and modern elements. The renovation and reconstruction work continues, partially closing down different sections each year.
The bath receives its thermal water from the 2nd St. Stephan's Well.
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| The Heroes' Square |
The Heroes' square is one of the most visited sights of the Hungarian capital, it is situated in front of the City Park, at the end of the Andrássy Avenue, one of the most important streets of Budapest, a World Heritage site. In the middle of Heroes' square stands a 36 metres high corinthian column with the statue of Archangel Gabriel on the top, the symbol of the Roman Catholic religion. At the pedestal the equestrian statues commemorate Árpád and the seven chieftains of the Hungarian tribes, who settled their people in the present territory of Hungary. His decendants formed the Hungarian royal dinasty.
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| Vajdahunyad Castle |
It is a castle in City Park, that was built between 1896 and 1908, designed by Ignác Alpár. It is a copy in part of a castle in Transylvania, Romania, that is also called Vajdahunyad, though it is also a display of different architectural styles: Romanic, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.Originally it was made from cardboard and wood for the millennial exhibition in 1896 but it became so popular that it was rebuilt from stone and brick. Today it houses the Agricultural Museum.
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| National Museum |
The Hungarian National Museum is the most significant, and one of the oldest collection of Hungary. As the first museum of Hungary, it was founded by a highly educated peer, count Ferenc Széchenyi, in 1802, who offered his manuscript, map, numismatic and print collection to form a core material for a national museum to be built. The bill passed in 1808 which ordered the construction of the Hungarian National Museum (and library) which was designed and built by Mihály Polláck, one of Hungary's most well-known architects of his time, between 1837-1847. The monumental building of neoclassical design was opened in 1847, as the fourth largest museum in Europe.
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| Opera House |
The Hungarian State Opera House is a neo-Renaissance opera house located in central Pest, on Andrássy út.
It is a richly-decorated building and is considered one of the architect's masterpieces. It was built in neo-Renaissance style, with elements of baroque. Ornamentation includes paintings and sculptures by leading figures of Hungarian art of the time including Bertalan Székely, Mór Than and Károly Lotz. Although in size and capacity it is not among the greatest, in beauty and the quality of acoustics the Budapest Opera House is considered to be amongst the first few opera houses in the world. The auditorium holds 1261 seats.
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| Central Market |
Budapest's Great Market Hall belonged to the most modern indoor markets at that time, with up-to-date lightning and refrigeration. Originally the vendors shipped their products into the hall through a network of indoor channels. They aren't in use anymore. The Great Market Hall was reconstructed between 1991-94. Beautiful Zsolnay tiles cover the enormous roof structure, that make it the most spectacular element of the building from outside. You'll only become aware of the hall's spacious interior under the gracious roof structure when you enter. The rich aroma together with the vivid colours of the fresh products displayed in the stalls will dazzle you. Strings of red paprika and garlic, Hungarian salamis, sausages, hams and other meat products, fresh pastries, dairy products, Hungarian wines and pálinka, just to give you ideas for buying souvenirs. Walk row by row and take your time to absorb the vibrant atmosphere.
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| Chain Bridge/ Roosewelt Square |
Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest, and was opened in 1849.
Roosevelt Square: Elegant and historic square, reputedly one of the most beautifully situated in the world, features a small, scenic park in its center.
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| Margaret Island |
Margaret Island is a 2.5 km long island, 500 meters wide area in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area. Its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance in the Middle Ages as a religious center. The island was dominated by nunneries, churches and cloisters until the 16th century. During the Ottoman wars the monks and nuns fled and the buildings were destroyed. In the 18th century it was chosen to be the resort of palatines. It was declared a public garden in 1908.
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