Budapest Scenic Snaps

Scenic Snaps: Budapest

by Katie Dawes October 26, 2014

October 26, 2014

Budapest | Oct 2013 – May 2014

There’s not much I can say about Budapest, and my time there, that I haven’t already touched on. Unfortunately, these photos can’t begin to touch on the emotions that the city’s name evokes, but I’ve tried to convey to you the city’s beauty and character.

Click to enlarge

Gellért Hill and the Liberty Statue Climbing Gellért Hill was a favorite past time of mine! The hill is on the Buda side and can be easily reached from the Green Bridge over the Danube. Géllert Hill is home to two great statues. The Liberty Lady atop Géllert Hill is the only remaining statue within the main city that hails from the Soviet period. Rumor has it that when all other communist statues were removed after 1989, the Hungarians covered her in a white sheet before re-introducing her to Budapest. I absolutely love this story, and the statue is equally as beautiful. Whilst she can be seen all the way over in Pest, climbing to the top of Géllert hill also gives you the opportunity to take photos of the best views in Budapest! The second statue is of Saint Géllert, and is most easily viewed on the crossing from Pest to Buda on the White Bridge. He was a Christian missionary asked to help convert the ancient Magyars under the rule of King (and eventually Saint) Stephen, who was martyred by pagans after the death of the King. The Citadel The Citadel, or fortress, that sits atop Géllert Hill was originally built by the Hasburg Monarchy to help oppress Hungarian uprisings during the latter part of their reign. It’s ownership was transferred to Budapest at the time of the Austria-Hungary union, and has since been used in boththe first and second World Wars. Today it stands as a reminder to the past, and as a luxury hotel and restaurant. In the summer months though it’s fun to try the archery that is set up in the grounds for the wealth of tourists. The Royal Palace Further along the Danube close by to Géllert Hill stands the Royal Palace, also known as Buda Castle for reasons I never figured out - it definitely looks more like a palace! The Royal Palace stands atop Castle Hill which was apparently the same location on which stood the original Magyar castle in the 13th Century. Due to the hundreds of years of conquest that Hungary has suffered, the current palace is a combination of old parts and a huge reconstruction effort that began in 1950. Further reading on the old palaces that stood atop Castle Hill tell of intricately designed exteriors and delicately embellished interiors, little of which is present in the current palace due to it’s reconstruction taking place long after the great period of the Hungarian Monarchy. Yet the building is still fiercely impressive in it’s position looking over Pest, and currently houses the National Gallery, the National Széchényi Library, and the Budapest History Museum. Matthius Church Like St. Stephen’s Basilica, Matthius Church is another Roman Catholic Building located close to Castle Hill and the second biggest in the city, similarly named after a past King of Hungary. It’s incredibly ornate turrets are a blinding white, perfectly matching the surrounding architecture of the Fisherman’s Bastion. Fisherman’s Bastion So called in honor of the local fisherman who ran their market close by and protected the city during the medieval wars, the arches of the Bastion are the perfect frame for the subjects of photographers, especially with the backdrop of the River Danube and the Hungarian Parliament Building. It was built around the turn of the 20th Century, and whilst a large part was destroyed during the second world, a reconstruction has been successful in restoring it to it’s previous glory. Memento Park Less of a park, more of a museum, Memento Park is where all the statues from Hungary’s communist era have been exiled to. The statues are understandably huge and yet despite expectations it is still a shock to walk in to an area completely occupied by their almost-menacing appearances!

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Things To Do In Budapest - 20 Sights To See In Budapest

Has any city touched your heart?

Lots of love,

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