The capital of Hungary, Budapest, is a city that seduces its visitors at first sight. The symbol of Budapest is the Parliament building, an imposing building adorned by the most important Chain Bridge. This wonderful city is woven of a large number of tourist attractions. The Fisherman's Bastion is just one of the attractions that make this city magnificent. The seven towers represent the seven Hungarian founders of the state and the city. With about two million inhabitants, Budapest is an important cultural, administrative, economic and trade center of Hungary. A very rich history with cultural treasures makes Budapest one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
One of the most beautiful buildings in Budapest is surely the Hungarian Parliament Building, which is also the third-biggest parliament building in the world. This is the seat of the highest judicial government body, with 200 representatives elected 4 years. The building is considered to be the most beautiful administrative building in Europe. The role model for the design of the building was the Palace of Westminster in London, which is easy to see looking at the building in Budapest. The Parliament Building was built to honor the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian people’s coming to the area. It was opened in 1896, and finished completely several years later.
The Hungarian capital is also famous for the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, a symbol of the city connecting Buda and Pest. This is the first stone bridge in Hungary, spanning over the Danube as a gem of architecture. Even if you have never been to Budapest, you must have seen this bridge in music videos, movies, TV shows, as well as in Dan Brown’s novel Origin. The bridge was desinged by English architect William Tierney Clark in 1839, with construction supervised by Scottish engineer Adam Clark. It was funded by the Greek merchant Georgios Sinas, whose name was inscribed on the base of the south-western base of the bridge on the Buda side.
The Fisherman’s Bastion is one of the most famous monuments in Budapest, one that you absolutely should not miss visiting. It is located on Buda Hill, which provides you with a view of the whole city. The Bastion is part of the nearby Buda Castle. The hill, which can be reached on foot or using public transport, contains an entire “town”. The Fisherman’s Bastion is a part of that town, as well as being one of the most popular viewpoints in Budapest.
Budapest is famous for its bridges, true gems of the Danube. The Elisabeth Bridge, or Erzsébet Híd, is one of the city’s most attractive bridges, not only for its beauty, but its history as well. It is located on the narrowest part of the Danube in Budapest, spanning a length of 290m. It connects the 15th March Square and the oldest church in Budapest and the Matias restaurant with the adjacent square in Budim. Elisabeth of Bavaria was a particularly beautiful woman still remembered today because of her love for Hungary.
The Buda Castle, constructed in the 13th century, was once the residence of Hungarian kings. It used to be called The Royal Palace or The Royal Castle, but it has had the name it bears today for quite some time. A part of the Buda Hill, which gave the castle its name, is still called the Royal Quarter. It contains medieval houses and various other buildings from the time, and some of them have baroque elements dating back to the 19th century.
