Budapest - Breathtaking Beauty
We had selected the Corinthia Grand Hotel as it is very well located for many of the city’s main tourist attractions as well as being close to the City Circle sightseeing bus route. First built in 1896 the Corinthia was extensively destroyed in the Hungarian Revolution and has been restored to its former glory bringing together Classic Hotel opulence with modern 5 star luxury as demonstrated by the spectacular hotel frontage, marble floors, sweeping staircase and breath taking six-storey atrium.
We dined in two of the hotels three restaurants, the Rickshaw offering a selection of Oriental dishes mainly Thai and Chinese style, was excellent as was the Bock Bistro which offered traditional Hungarian dishes. There is also a Brasserie which provides a mix of French and Hungarian style dishes for lunch or dinner as well as being the venue for breakfast. We also sampled one of the many local restaurants serving traditional as well as International dishes.
The river Danube flows through the two parts of the city of Budapest which was formalised in 1873 with the merging of Buda and OBuda (Old Buda) on the West bank with Pest on the East side. Pest, although containing many historic buildings, is the more modern part of the city and the commercial and administrative centre. The two parts of the city are linked across the Danube by seven road/foot bridges and two railway bridges.
With so many beautiful historic buildings and viewpoints spread across both parts of the city, we used the tourist Circle sightseeing bus to reach the main sites and then explored on foot.
We started on the Pest side of the city with the spectacular Houses of Parliament Building. The building is 268 metres in length and covers an area of 18,000 square metres. Construction began in 1885 and was finally completed in 1906. The layout and architecture is described as a mix of Baroque and neo-Gothic. The main façade overlooks the Danube and the whole exterior is decorated with 88 statues. The highest point of the building is a rib vaulted dome 96 metres above street level and supported by 16 pillars. The building is set out around 10 courtyards and has 27 different entrances and 29 staircases. On both sides of the dome are the two Assembly Halls. The view of the building at night from Castle Hill on the Buda side across the Danube is absolutely magnificent. Also on the Pest side, we visited St Stephen’s basilica the city’s largest church, the Opera House, National museum, Heroes Square and Statue Park which recognise the turbulent history of the City and Hungary.
Most of the main historical attractions on the Buda side of the city are in the Castle Hill District which was declared a UNESCO World heritage site in 1988. The Buda Castle/Palace was originally built in the 13th century and rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries due to being burned and looted in the frequent wars that were a feature of the period. The area also contains St Mathias Church and Holy Trinity Column which originated in the 13th century and have also been rebuilt several times. A further major landmark is the Fisherman’s Bastion built above an old fishermen’s village and fish market and also providing a fabulous viewing point for the Danube and the Pest side of the City. Also on the Buda side is the area called Gellert Hill the site of a former fortress offers excellent views of both sides of the city.
We rounded off our sightseeing explorations with a two hour boat trip along the Danube which gave us an alternative perspective of the City on both sides of the river.
Budapest is a great destination for a weekend break or a much longer stay to more fully appreciate the many attractions on offer. Just make sure you take comfortable walking shoes. You will be glad you did!