Budapest

Pictures from Budapest, Hungary, taken on our summer holiday 2010
Going up Stairs leading to the Castle Hill : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Castellum Gallery Currently an art gallery right next to the castle. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Count András Hadik de Futak Commander of a Habsburg army corps in the Seven Years' War (1756-63); captured the Prussian capital Berlin during the war : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Baroque palace Baroque palace Uri Utca 48-50. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Beautiful gate Beautiful gate in one of Uri Utca's houses : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Uri Utca 58 The mansion was built in 1720 by the Hadik family.Two statues of in niches above the entrance gate: Saint John of Nepomuk (Nepomuk c. 1345 – Praha 1393), confessor of the queen of Bohemia, refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. At the behest of King Wenceslaus of Bohemia he was thrown from the Charles Bridge in Prague and drowned. John of Nepomuk is patron saint of bridges Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), pioneering Roman Catholic missionary, co-founder of the Society of Jesus : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Uri Utca 58 The mansion was built in 1720 by the Hadik family.Two statues of in niches above the entrance gate: Saint John of Nepomuk (Nepomuk c. 1345 – Praha 1393), confessor of the queen of Bohemia, refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. At the behest of King Wenceslaus of Bohemia he was thrown from the Charles Bridge in Prague and drowned. John of Nepomuk is patron saint of bridges Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), pioneering Roman Catholic missionary, co-founder of the Society of Jesus : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Uri Utca 58 The mansion was built in 1720 by the Hadik family.Two statues of in niches above the entrance gate: Saint John of Nepomuk (Nepomuk c. 1345 – Praha 1393), confessor of the queen of Bohemia, refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. At the behest of King Wenceslaus of Bohemia he was thrown from the Charles Bridge in Prague and drowned. John of Nepomuk is patron saint of bridges Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), pioneering Roman Catholic missionary, co-founder of the Society of Jesus : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Budapest Military Museum It is a former municipal army barracks that is today a museum that traces the history of war in Hungary through an extensive collection of war memorabilia, ranging from weapons and uniforms to coins and flags. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Church and Tower of Mary Magdalene The Church, dating from the middle of the 13th century, originally served as the parish church for the Hungarian citizens of the town (the Mátyás Church was for the use of the town’s German citizens). During the 14th and 15th centuries it was enlarged several times. During the first-half of the Turkish occupation it remained the only Christian church in the Castle; during the second-half it was converted into a mosque. Following the defeat of the Turks in 1686 it was given back to the Franciscan Order, who demolished most of the church except for the tower, and used the stones to build a new single-nave church, in the Baroque style. As a result of the damage sustained by the church during the 2nd World War, the nave was demolished and only the Gothic style tower was restored. The ruins behind the church have been used to form an exhibition of the history of the church. In 1792 Emperor Francis I, King of Hungary, was crowned in the church : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Ready, aim... An old cannon in front of the military museum : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma National archives building Huge neo-Romanesque building on the left hand side with a lovely multi-coloured roof; this houses the National Archives, which holds documents dating from before the Battle of Mohacs in 1526. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Gentlefox A stuffed fox (sob) in front of a shop : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Strange statue A statue in front of the building : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Buda Castle Buda Castle was first completed in 1265. The oldest part of the present-day palace was built in the 14th century by Stephen, Duke of Slavonia, the younger brother of King Louis I of Hungary. Only the foundations remain of the castle keep, which was known as Stephen's Tower (Hungarian: István-torony). The Gothic palace of King Louis I was arranged around a narrow courtyard next to the keep. The medieval palace was destroyed in the great siege of 1686 when Buda was captured by allied Christian forces. In 1748 Count Antal Grassalkovich, President of the Hungarian Chamber, appealed to the public to finish the derelict palace by means of public subscription. : 2010, Buda Castle, Keski-Eurooppa, loma Buda Castle Buda Castle was first completed in 1265. The oldest part of the present-day palace was built in the 14th century by Stephen, Duke of Slavonia, the younger brother of King Louis I of Hungary. Only the foundations remain of the castle keep, which was known as Stephen's Tower (Hungarian: István-torony). The Gothic palace of King Louis I was arranged around a narrow courtyard next to the keep. The medieval palace was destroyed in the great siege of 1686 when Buda was captured by allied Christian forces. In 1748 Count Antal Grassalkovich, President of the Hungarian Chamber, appealed to the public to finish the derelict palace by means of public subscription. : 2010, Buda Castle, Keski-Eurooppa, loma
St. Matthias Church Officially known as The Church of Our Lady (Nagyboldogasszony templom). Matthias Church was built in 1255 century along Trinity Square, in the heart of the Castle District, and was Buda's first parish church. However, the original church structure changed many times as it was constantly being renovated and refashioned in the popular architectural style of each era. The church takes its more common name from King Matthias, who ruled from 1458-90, well-known as a patron of the arts and enlightenment and revered for reconstructing the Hungarian state after years upon years of feudal anarchy. In the late nineteenth century, architect Frigyes Schulek is credited with largely restoring St. Matthias Church to its original splendor. Schulek, who also built the nearby Fisherman's Bastion, adhered to the original thirteenth-century plans for the church and also uncovered a number of original Gothic elements lost for centuries. He added magnificent diamond patterned roof tiles and gargoyles, which visitors can still admire today. The reconstruction was completed in 1896. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma St. Matthias King Matthias Corvinus expanded and embellished the building in Renaissance style. He also added the southern high tower (60 m high) called Matthias bell tower that bears the Hunyadi-s coat of arms a raven holding a golden ring in its beak, : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Old Town Hall of Buda This white Baroque building was constructed in the early 18th century according to plans of an Italian architect. The building was the town hall of Buda from 1710 until 1873 when the cities of Buda and Pest, merged to form Budapest. In the corner niche, is a statue of the Greek goddess Pallas Athene, holding a spear and a shield that bears the coat of arms of Buda. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma A raven A raven with a ring : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Fisherman's Bastion Designed by architect Frigyes Schulek and built between 1899 and 1905, the white-stoned Fisherman's Bastion is a combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque architecture and consists of turrets, projections, parapets, and climbing stairways. The bastion is made up of seven towers - each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that, in 896, settled in the area now known as Hungary. The structure looks straight out of some fairy-tale and conjures up thoughts of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. Still, it seems to be in sync with the style of the Church of Our Lady and nicely complements the church, which was the intention of the architect. A monumental double stairway, decorated with reliefs of coats-of-arms and various motifs, connects the bastion with the streets below. Between the Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion stands a statue of the first christian king of Hungary, St. Stephen. He is shown mounted on a horse, atop an ornate pedestal decorated with reliefs. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Fisherman's Bastion Designed by architect Frigyes Schulek and built between 1899 and 1905, the white-stoned Fisherman's Bastion is a combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque architecture and consists of turrets, projections, parapets, and climbing stairways. The bastion is made up of seven towers - each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that, in 896, settled in the area now known as Hungary. The structure looks straight out of some fairy-tale and conjures up thoughts of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. Still, it seems to be in sync with the style of the Church of Our Lady and nicely complements the church, which was the intention of the architect. A monumental double stairway, decorated with reliefs of coats-of-arms and various motifs, connects the bastion with the streets below. Between the Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion stands a statue of the first christian king of Hungary, St. Stephen. He is shown mounted on a horse, atop an ornate pedestal decorated with reliefs. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Fisherman's Bastion Designed by architect Frigyes Schulek and built between 1899 and 1905, the white-stoned Fisherman's Bastion is a combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque architecture and consists of turrets, projections, parapets, and climbing stairways. The bastion is made up of seven towers - each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that, in 896, settled in the area now known as Hungary. The structure looks straight out of some fairy-tale and conjures up thoughts of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. Still, it seems to be in sync with the style of the Church of Our Lady and nicely complements the church, which was the intention of the architect. A monumental double stairway, decorated with reliefs of coats-of-arms and various motifs, connects the bastion with the streets below. Between the Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion stands a statue of the first christian king of Hungary, St. Stephen. He is shown mounted on a horse, atop an ornate pedestal decorated with reliefs. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma A hedgehog Nice restaurant sign again : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Lutheran Church on Bécsi kapu tér Building was designed by Mór Kallina and it was consectrated in 1895 by Sámuel Sárkány, bishop of Lutheran diocese of Bánya. It has eclectic Neobaroque style. It has a neobaroque façade. Its entry is surrounded by two Corinthian order-like column, there is a shoulder over them. It is square-like tall, slim tower. Its steeple has Neobaroque style as well. There is a double loft over the entrance. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Church of St Anne One of the finest Baroque buildings in Budapest, the Church of St. Anna, was built between 1740-1762. The church is located in the heart of Watertown (Víziváros), the area between Castle Hill and the Danube. The church stands on Batthyány Square (Batthyhány tér) : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma budapest ketjusilta The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest. The bridge was designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark in 1839, after Count István Széchenyi's initiative in the same year, with construction supervised locally by Scottish engineer Adam Clark. It is a larger scale version of William Tierney Clark's earlier Marlow Bridge, across the River Thames in Marlow, England. It was funded to a considerable extent by the Greek merchant Georgios Sinas who had considerable financial and land interests in the city and whose name is inscribed on the base of the south western foundation of the bridge on the Buda side. The bridge was opened in 1849, and thus became the first permanent bridge in the Hungarian capital, after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. At the time, its center span of 202 metres was one of the largest in the world. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Meow A lion at the end of the Chain Bridge : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Slight flooding When we visited Budapest, it suffered of severe flooding, as this picture clearly shows. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Unreachable Flooding made life difficult for some : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Going under City street heading under the water : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Szabadsag Hid The Szabadság híd (in English: Liberty Bridge or Freedom Bridge) in Budapest, Hungary, connects Buda and Pest across the River Danube. It is the third southernmost public road bridge in Budapest, located at the southern end of the City Centre. It was originally named Ferenc József híd (Franz Joseph Bridge). The bridge was built between 1894 and 1896 to the plans of János Feketeházy. Although radically different in structure, the bridge imitates the general outline of a chain-type bridge, which was considered an aesthetically preferable form at the time of construction. The bridge was opened in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph; the last silver rivet on the Pest abutment was inserted into the iron structure by the Emperor himself, and the bridge was originally named after him. It is 333.6 m in length and 20.1 m in width. The top of the four masts are decorated with large bronze statues of the Turul, a falcon-like bird, prominent in ancient Hungarian mythology. Custom-houses have been built at both ends of the bridge, directly at the abutments. They are composed of two storys, the ground floor containing an entrance hall, two smaller rooms and a larger one. The smaller rooms were used to hand out tickets, the larger one for money hoarding and the storage of various instruments. The first floor hosts only one room, which served to accommodate the custom-house officers. : 2010, Keski-Eurooppa, loma
Chicken run A chicken burger on the run : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Lightbearer A nice lamp on Mail- and Communications museum wall : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Strong guys A beautiful door portal on Andrássy út : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Strong women Another beautiful door portal on Andrássy út : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Hungarian State Opera House The Hungarian State Opera House, or often called Budapest Opera, is located in the city center of Budapest right on Andrássy Út. It was constructed by the Hungarian architect Miklós Ybl and costructed between 1875 and 1884, the grand opening was on September 27th 1884. Since 1886 the Opera hosts the famous society event Budapest Opera Ball. Between 1980 and 1984 the Opera house was renovated completely to host the 100 year existence in 1984 with a big event. In front of the opera is a statue of Ferenc Erkel, the writer of the Hungarian National Anthem and also the first music director of the Opera. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Hungarian State Opera House The Hungarian State Opera House, or often called Budapest Opera, is located in the city center of Budapest right on Andrássy Út. It was constructed by the Hungarian architect Miklós Ybl and costructed between 1875 and 1884, the grand opening was on September 27th 1884. Since 1886 the Opera hosts the famous society event Budapest Opera Ball. Between 1980 and 1984 the Opera house was renovated completely to host the 100 year existence in 1984 with a big event. In front of the opera is a statue of Ferenc Erkel, the writer of the Hungarian National Anthem and also the first music director of the Opera. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Protected from the rain Beautiful weather protection over the door : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma House of Terror House of Terror is a museum located at Andrássy út 60 in Budapest, Hungary. It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist dictatorial regimes in 20th-century Hungary and is also a memorial to the victims of these regimes, including those detained, interrogated, tortured or killed in the building. The museum opened on 24 February 2002 and the Director-General of the museum since then has been Dr Mária Schmidt. With regard to communism and fascism, the exhibition contains material on the nation's relationships to Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. It also contains exhibits related to Hungarian organisations such as the fascist Arrow Cross Party and the communist ÁVH (which was similar to the Soviet Union KGB secret police). Part of the exhibition takes visitors to the basement, where they can see examples of the cells that the ÁVH used to break the will of their prisoners : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Underground entrance Very Parisian underground entrance on Andrássy út : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Bike storage Another way to store your bike : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Wall memorial First World War Memorial Andrassy Avenue and Izabella : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Fire hydrant Fire hydrant on Andrássy út and a beautiful building in the background : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Budapest Coat of arms of Budapest : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma I want out! A boodle looking for a way to escape : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Hősök tere Hősök tere (English: Heroes' Square) is one the major squares in Budapest, Hungary, noted for its iconic statue complex featuring the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars and other important national leaders, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The square lies at the outbound end of Andrássy Avenue next to City Park (Városliget). It hosts the Museum of Fine Arts and the Műcsarnok. The square has played an important part in contemporary Hungarian history and has been a host to many political events, such as the reburial of Imre Nagy in 1989. The central feature of Heroes' Square, as well as a landmark of Budapest, is the Millennium Memorial (Hungarian: Millenáriumi Emlékmű, also translated Millennium Monument or Millennial Monument). Construction began in 1896 to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of the foundation of the Hungarian state by St. Stephen I in 896, and was part of a much larger construction project which also included the expansion and refurbishing of Andrássy Avenue and the construction of the first metro line in Budapest (Hungarian: Földalatti). Construction was completed in 1900, which was when the square received its name. : 2010, Keski-Eurooppa, loma Millenáriumi Emlékmű The central feature of Heroes' Square, as well as a landmark of Budapest, is the Millennium Memorial (Hungarian: Millenáriumi Emlékmű, also translated Millennium Monument or Millennial Monument). Construction began in 1896 to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of the foundation of the Hungarian state by St. Stephen I in 896. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Szépművészeti Múzeum The Museum of Fine Arts (Hungarian: Szépművészeti Múzeum) is a museum in Heroes' Square, Budapest, Hungary, facing the Palace of Art. It was built by the plans of Albert Schickedanz and Fülöp Herzog in an eclectic-neoclassical style, between 1900 and 1906. The museum's collection is made up of international art (other than Hungarian), including all periods of European art, and comprises more than 100,000 pieces. The collection is made up of various older additions such as those from Buda Castle, the Esterházy and Zichy estates, as well as donations from individual collectors. The Museum's collection is made up of six departments: Egyptian, Antique, Old sculpture gallery, Old painter gallery, Modern collection, Graphics collection. The institution celebrated its centenary in 2006. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Műcsarnok Kunsthalle Budapest (Műcsarnok in Hungarian, literally approx. Hall of Art, sometimes referred to as Palace of Art) is a contemporary art museum in Budapest, located in Heroes' Square, facing the Museum of Fine Arts. It was built in 1895, by the plans of Albert Schickedanz and Fülöp Herczog, in eclectic-neoclassical style. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Vajdahunyad Castle Vajdahunyad Castle (Hungarian: Vajdahunyad vára) is a castle in the City Park of Budapest, Hungary. It was built between 1896 and 1908 as part of the Millennial Exhibition which celebrated the 1000 years of Hungary since the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895. The castle was designed by Ignác Alpár to feature copies of several landmark buildings from different parts the Kingdom of Hungary, especially the Hunyad Castle in Transylvania (now in Romania). As the castle contains parts of buildings from various time periods, it displays different architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Originally it was made from cardboard and wood, but it became so popular that it was rebuilt from stone and brick between 1904 and 1908. Today it houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture. : 2010, Keski-Eurooppa, loma Anonymus Anonymus was the notary and chronicler of a Hungarian King, probably Béla III. Little is known about him, but his latinized name began with P, as he referred to himself as "P. dictus magister". Some scholars suggest that he was Péter, the bishop of Győr. Anonymus is most famous for his work Gesta Hungarorum ("The Deeds of the Hungarians"), written in Latin around 1200. This work provides the most detailed history of the arrival of the Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin (Hungarian: honfoglalás), . Most of his attempts to explain the origin of several Hungarian place names are unsupported by modern etymology. The names of the seven chieftains of the Hungarians are known from his writings. This statue of him is created by Miklós Ligeti in 1903. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Street art Some nice and some not so nice paintings on a wall : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Washington and rascals Guys climbing on George Washington's statue in City Park : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Dohány Street Synagogue The Dohány Street Synagogue (Hungarian: Dohány utcai zsinagóga/nagy zsinagóga), also known as The Great Synagogue or Tabakgasse Synagogue, is located in Erzsébetváros, the 7th district of Budapest. It is the largest synagogue in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It seats 3,000 people and is a centre of Neolog Judaism. The synagogue was built between 1854 and 1859 in the Moorish Revival style, with the decoration based chiefly on Islamic models from North Africa and medieval Spain (the Alhambra). The synagogue's Viennese architect, Ludwig Förster, believed that no distinctively Jewish architecture could be identified, and thus chose "architectural forms that have been used by oriental ethnic groups that are related to the Israelite people, and in particular the Arabs". The interior design is partly by Frigyes Feszl. The Dohány Street Synagogue complex consists of the Great Synagogue, the Heroes' Temple, the graveyard, the Memorial and the Jewish Museum, which was built on the site on which Theodore Herzl's house of birth stood. Dohány Street itself, a leafy street in the city center, carries strong Holocaust connotations as it constituted the border of the Budapest Ghetto. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma University Church Also known as The Pauline Church of Pest. Two years after the united legions of Sacra Lega had liberated Buda from Ottoman rule (1686), the Pauline order, the only monastic order to be founded in Hungary, was granted the right to settle on the Pest side of the Danube in 1688. Acquiring a plot of land next to the Danube with some houses and a Turkish mosque on it in 1715, construction of a monastery began, only to be thwarted by financial difficulties. The mosque was then converted and consecrated to become a Christian church, which the Paulines made do with until 1720, when, with the help of a donation from Mária Magdolna Doloczky, they demolished the mosque and raised a chapel in its place, in honour of the Five Holy Wounds of Christ. As the significance of Catholic spirituality expanded, the chapel proved to be too small, and so the Paulines built a new church next to the chapel with the help of donations from Count István Koháry and Count Antal I. Grassalkovich. The towers were completed in 1768 and 1771. The mural sequence illustrating scenes from the Life of the Virgin Mary was finished in the early 1700s. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Faculty of Law Faculty of Law of Eötvös Loránd University. The university was founded in 1635 in Nagyszombat, Kingdom of Hungary, (today Trnava, Slovakia) by the archbishop and theologian Péter Pázmány. Leadership was given over to the Jesuits. Initially the university only had two colleges (College of Arts and College of Theology). The College of Law was added in 1667 and the College of Medicine was started in 1769. After the dissolution of the Jesuit order, the university was moved to Buda (today part of Budapest) in 1777 in accordance with the intention of the founder. The university moved to its final location in Pest (now also part of Budapest) in 1784. The language of education was Latin until 1844, when Hungarian was introduced as an official language. Women have been allowed to enroll since 1895. : 2010, Keski-Eurooppa, loma Art Mushrooms and animals for sale : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Rich colours Some colourful scarves for sale : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Mooohh A green cow in front of a restaurant : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Scooter boy Scooter boy 2008 - This is a lovely statue, near the Pest end of Elisabeth bridge, by an artist called Boldi (full name: Boldizsár Szmrecsányi). At closer inspection one realizes that the boy is scrutinizing the sky, not the road ahead. And the vehicle is also an impossible construction… A statue ideally fit for outdoors placement. (District V, corner of Duna utca and Váci utca.) : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Bronze policeman statue If women wanted to get pregnant one day, they should rub the policeman’s belly for “good luck”… : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Drinking fountain A nice and decorative drinking fountain in Budapest : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Drinking fountain These are very popular in Budapest evidently, here's another very nice one : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Szabadság Square The interactive fountain is a favourite of kids. When the hidden vertical fountain nozzles are turned on they create an exciting water wall around the square shaped area. In the background is the Exchange Palace, originally built in 1905 to house the Budapest Stock Exchange, the grand Beaux Arts monumental building was designed by the famous Hungarian architect Ignác Alpár. Exchange Palace was home to the Hungarian national television station MTV since 1955. The 50,000 m2 palace is the largest privately owned historic landmark in Budapest. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma The Interactive Fountain The interactive fountain is a favourite of kids. When the hidden vertical fountain nozzles are turned on they create an exciting water wall around the square shaped area. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Imre Nagy memorial Imre Nagy was Prime Minister of Hungary on two occasions. His second term was during the revolution in 1956, and it ended when his non-Soviet-backed government was brought down during the failed Hungarian Revolution. He was tried and executed in 1958, and buried in an unmarked grave. His name could not to be mentioned during Communism, but he became a symbol of freedom. In 1989, he was reburied. A crowd of 200,000 gathered at Heroes' Square for the funeral. His statue, facing the Parliament Building, is located on a tiny square next to Kossuth Square. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Imre Nagy memorial Imre Nagy was Prime Minister of Hungary on two occasions. His second term was during the revolution in 1956, and it ended when his non-Soviet-backed government was brought down during the failed Hungarian Revolution. He was tried and executed in 1958, and buried in an unmarked grave. His name could not to be mentioned during Communism, but he became a symbol of freedom. In 1989, he was reburied. A crowd of 200,000 gathered at Heroes' Square for the funeral. His statue, facing the Parliament Building, is located on a tiny square next to Kossuth Square. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma
Ethnographic Museum It was founded as the Ethnographic Department of the Hungarian National Museum in 1872. Its first director was John Xantus de Vesey. It formally split from the National Museum in 1947 but moved to its building in Kossuth Square, opposite the Parliament building, only in 1973. The grand building in which the Museum of Ethnography is now housed was originally built by Alajos Hauszmann for the Ministry of Justice (built in 1891-6). : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma Batthyany Eternal Flame Batthyany Eternal Flame The flame was lit in front of the Parliament Building in 1996, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1956 uprising, a sorrowful event for many Hungarian people. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma The Parliament building Budapest was united from three cities in 1873 and seven years later the Diet resolved to establish a new, representative Parliament Building, expressing the sovereignty of the nation. An international competition was held, and Imre Steindl emerged as the victor; the plans of two other competitors were later also realized in the form of the Ethnographical Museum and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture, both of which face the Parliament Building. Construction from the winning plan was started in 1885 and the building was inaugurated on the 1000th anniversary of the country in 1896, and completed in 1904. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma The Parliament Budapest was united from three cities in 1873 and seven years later the Diet resolved to establish a new, representative Parliament Building, expressing the sovereignty of the nation. An international competition was held, and Imre Steindl emerged as the victor; the plans of two other competitors were later also realized in the form of the Ethnographical Museum and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture, both of which face the Parliament Building. Construction from the winning plan was started in 1885 and the building was inaugurated on the 1000th anniversary of the country in 1896, and completed in 1904. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
The Parliament building Budapest was united from three cities in 1873 and seven years later the Diet resolved to establish a new, representative Parliament Building, expressing the sovereignty of the nation. An international competition was held, and Imre Steindl emerged as the victor; the plans of two other competitors were later also realized in the form of the Ethnographical Museum and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture, both of which face the Parliament Building. Construction from the winning plan was started in 1885 and the building was inaugurated on the 1000th anniversary of the country in 1896, and completed in 1904. About one thousand people were involved in construction, during which 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40 kilograms (88 lb) of gold were used. After World War II the legislature became unicameral and today the government uses only a small portion of the building. During the communist regime a red star perched on the top of the dome, but was removed in 1990. Mátyás Szűrös declared the Hungarian Republic from the balcony facing Lajos Kossuth Square on 23 October 1989. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma, parlamenttitalo, rakennus St Stephen’s Basilica and Co-Cathedral of the Archbishopric in the back Major events of the construction and renovation of the Basilica: 1845. József Hild (1789-1867) is appointed by the Council of the City of Pest to design the Basilica. 1846. Earthworks start. 1851. After the war of independence (1848-49) he is appointed to continue the works. By this time the drum of the cupola is constructed up to a height of 51.52 m. January 22, 1868, 5.10 p.m. The drum of the cupola collapses due to defective construction. Ybl recognizes the defect and averts hazard to life, however, he cannot prevent the disaster. He designs a new neo-renaissance building on reinforced foundations. 1875. Construction works restart based on partially modified drawings after the conclusion of the demolition works. 1890. The entire structure of the building is completed. 1891. After the death of Miklós Ybl, the final and predominantly decorative works are supervised by József Kauser (1848-1919). 1905. Interior decoration is ready and thus construction works are concluded. November 9, 1905 – The dedication of the church December 8, 1906: The placement of the keystone in the presence of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria and king of Hungary. 1931. Pope Pius XI awards the church the title “basilica minor”. 1938. The building functions as the central place of the events of the 34th International Eucharistic Congress. 1944-45 – The roof structure, the towers and the external walls are damaged in World War II. The roof structure as a whole needs to be replaced. 1947. The wooden structure of the cupola catches fire during the repair works on the roof. 1971. The Holy Right Hand of St Stephen is placed in the Basilica to be guarded there. 1982. The plate cover of the large cupola is swept on to the street below by a storm, and the church building becomes hazardous to life. 1983. Commencement date of planned reconstruction works. 1991. Pope John Paul II visits the church at the festival of king St Stephan. 1993. The pope raises the basilica to the rank of co-cathedral of the Archbishopric. August 16, 2001 – The government transfers the title to the basilica to the Church in connection with the conclusion of the millennium. August 14, 2003 – Conclusion of construction and restoration works. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma St Stephen’s Basilica and Co-Cathedral of the Archbishopric Major events of the construction and renovation of the Basilica: 1845. József Hild (1789-1867) is appointed by the Council of the City of Pest to design the Basilica. 1846. Earthworks start. 1851. After the war of independence (1848-49) he is appointed to continue the works. By this time the drum of the cupola is constructed up to a height of 51.52 m. January 22, 1868, 5.10 p.m. The drum of the cupola collapses due to defective construction. Ybl recognizes the defect and averts hazard to life, however, he cannot prevent the disaster. He designs a new neo-renaissance building on reinforced foundations. 1875. Construction works restart based on partially modified drawings after the conclusion of the demolition works. 1890. The entire structure of the building is completed. 1891. After the death of Miklós Ybl, the final and predominantly decorative works are supervised by József Kauser (1848-1919). 1905. Interior decoration is ready and thus construction works are concluded. November 9, 1905 – The dedication of the church December 8, 1906: The placement of the keystone in the presence of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria and king of Hungary. 1931. Pope Pius XI awards the church the title “basilica minor”. 1938. The building functions as the central place of the events of the 34th International Eucharistic Congress. 1944-45 – The roof structure, the towers and the external walls are damaged in World War II. The roof structure as a whole needs to be replaced. 1947. The wooden structure of the cupola catches fire during the repair works on the roof. 1971. The Holy Right Hand of St Stephen is placed in the Basilica to be guarded there. 1982. The plate cover of the large cupola is swept on to the street below by a storm, and the church building becomes hazardous to life. 1983. Commencement date of planned reconstruction works. 1991. Pope John Paul II visits the church at the festival of king St Stephan. 1993. The pope raises the basilica to the rank of co-cathedral of the Archbishopric. August 16, 2001 – The government transfers the title to the basilica to the Church in connection with the conclusion of the millennium. August 14, 2003 – Conclusion of construction and restoration works. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma St Stephen’s Basilica and Co-Cathedral of the Archbishopric Major events of the construction and renovation of the Basilica: 1845. József Hild (1789-1867) is appointed by the Council of the City of Pest to design the Basilica. 1846. Earthworks start. 1851. After the war of independence (1848-49) he is appointed to continue the works. By this time the drum of the cupola is constructed up to a height of 51.52 m. January 22, 1868, 5.10 p.m. The drum of the cupola collapses due to defective construction. Ybl recognizes the defect and averts hazard to life, however, he cannot prevent the disaster. He designs a new neo-renaissance building on reinforced foundations. 1875. Construction works restart based on partially modified drawings after the conclusion of the demolition works. 1890. The entire structure of the building is completed. 1891. After the death of Miklós Ybl, the final and predominantly decorative works are supervised by József Kauser (1848-1919). 1905. Interior decoration is ready and thus construction works are concluded. November 9, 1905 – The dedication of the church December 8, 1906: The placement of the keystone in the presence of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria and king of Hungary. 1931. Pope Pius XI awards the church the title “basilica minor”. 1938. The building functions as the central place of the events of the 34th International Eucharistic Congress. 1944-45 – The roof structure, the towers and the external walls are damaged in World War II. The roof structure as a whole needs to be replaced. 1947. The wooden structure of the cupola catches fire during the repair works on the roof. 1971. The Holy Right Hand of St Stephen is placed in the Basilica to be guarded there. 1982. The plate cover of the large cupola is swept on to the street below by a storm, and the church building becomes hazardous to life. 1983. Commencement date of planned reconstruction works. 1991. Pope John Paul II visits the church at the festival of king St Stephan. 1993. The pope raises the basilica to the rank of co-cathedral of the Archbishopric. August 16, 2001 – The government transfers the title to the basilica to the Church in connection with the conclusion of the millennium. August 14, 2003 – Conclusion of construction and restoration works. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Gresham Palace Built between 1904 and 1906, Gresham Palace sits at a site that was once home to the Nako House, a neoclassical palace that was built in 1827 and designed by architect Joseph Hild. The Gresham Life Insurance Company, a British company, took possession of the building in 1880. Originally, the palace served not only as an office building but also a home for wealthy British aristocrats connected with the company. At the end of World War II, however, Soviet soldiers eagerly took up residence in the very opulent palace. Eventually, it fell into disrepair and served as an apartment building during the Communist rule of Hungary. When democracy was restored, the national government presented the palace to the city of Budapest. In the early twenty-first century, it was purchased by the Four Seasons hotel chain and is now one of the city's finest hotels. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Gresham Palace Built between 1904 and 1906, Gresham Palace sits at a site that was once home to the Nako House, a neoclassical palace that was built in 1827 and designed by architect Joseph Hild. The Gresham Life Insurance Company, a British company, took possession of the building in 1880. Originally, the palace served not only as an office building but also a home for wealthy British aristocrats connected with the company. At the end of World War II, however, Soviet soldiers eagerly took up residence in the very opulent palace. Eventually, it fell into disrepair and served as an apartment building during the Communist rule of Hungary. When democracy was restored, the national government presented the palace to the city of Budapest. In the early twenty-first century, it was purchased by the Four Seasons hotel chain and is now one of the city's finest hotels. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Hungarian Academy of Sciences The history of the academy began in 1825 when Count István Széchenyi offered one year's income of his estate for the purposes of a Learned Society at a district session of the Diet in Pressburg (Pozsony, present Bratislava, seat of the Hungarian Parliament at the time), and his example was followed by other delegates. Its task was specified as the development of the Hungarian language and the study and propagation of the sciences and the arts in Hungarian. It received its current name in 1845. Its central building was inaugurated in 1865, in neo-Renaissance style. The architect was Friedrich August Stüler. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma Hungarian Academy of Sciences The history of the academy began in 1825 when Count István Széchenyi offered one year's income of his estate for the purposes of a Learned Society at a district session of the Diet in Pressburg (Pozsony, present Bratislava, seat of the Hungarian Parliament at the time), and his example was followed by other delegates. Its task was specified as the development of the Hungarian language and the study and propagation of the sciences and the arts in Hungarian. It received its current name in 1845. Its central building was inaugurated in 1865, in neo-Renaissance style. The architect was Friedrich August Stüler. : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma
Flood Tram routes were also blocked : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, kaupunki, loma The Castle The castle seen from Pest side : 2010, Budapest, Keski-Eurooppa, Unkari, kaupunki, loma