Attractions in Budapest
Budapesti Történeti Múzeum
Within the palace walls of the Buda Royal Castle is a huge complex with various museums, including the Budapest Historical Museum (Budapesti Történeti Múzeum), the Hungarian National Gallery and the Széchenyi State Library. The Historical Museum (Budapesti Történeti Múzeum) in the southern part of the palace is dedicated to the history of Buda since the liberation from the Turks in 1686 until the 1970s.
Address: Szent György tér, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 487 88 00
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Nov.-Feb.); Tue-Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (March-Oct).
Website: http://www.btm.hu
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Budavári Palota (Buda Royal Castle Palace)
After the invasion of the Mongols in 1241, the royal castle was first inhabited by King Béla IV, but had its heyday during the reign of King Mátyás (1458-90). At the end of the 18th century, the castle was rebuilt and enlarged under Empress Maria Theresa. The royal castle survived many conflicts: the Turkish siege (1541) and invasion (1686), the war of independence of 1848/49 and the Second World War.
Inside the palace walls there is a huge complex with various museums, including the Budapest Historical Museum and the Hungarian National Gallery, and the Széchenyi State Library. The Historical Museum (Budapesti Történeti Múzeum) in the southern part of the palace is dedicated to the history of Buda since the liberation from the Turks in 1686 until the 1970s. The Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria) is located in the heart of the palace. This encyclopedic collection of Hungarian art from the 10th century to the present day with its depictions of victorious and devastating battles, romantic rural scenes and the altarpieces from the Middle Ages provide an insight into Hungarian national identity.
Address:
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Dohány Zsinagóga (Great Synagogue)
Europe’s largest synagogue (the second largest in the world) was designed by Lajos Föster in the Byzantine-Moorish style and was completed in 1859. The famous musicians who played on the imposing organ of the synagogue include Liszt and Saint-Saëns. The synagogue was desecrated by German and Hungarian Nazis, after a ten-year restoration project funded by the Hungarian government and the Emmanuel Foundation established by Toni Curtis, the two Moorish-looking domes are shining again. During the Holocaust, 724,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered, who are thought to be in the Jewish History Museum, which is housed in the annex. The monument of Imre Varga next to the synagogue consists of a metal tree, on the leaves of which a family name is entered.
Address: Dohány St 2, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 342 89 49
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 10 am-5pm, Fri 10 am-2pm (mid-April-October); Sun-Thurs 10 am-3pm, Fri 10 am-2pm (November-mid April); closed on Jewish holidays.
Website: http://www.dohany-zsinagoga.hu
Entry fee: With admission fee (synagogue and museum).
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Hotel Gellért and thermal baths
The Gellért baths have been valued for their healing powers since the Turkish siege in the 16th century and are among the best thermal baths in the city. Like the current building, the swimming pool, a beautiful bathroom surrounded by columns, was built in Art Deco style. There are separate thermal baths with different temperatures, steam baths and a sauna. The applications are extremely numerous. Even if you don’t want to take a bath, it is worth visiting the beautiful entrance hall.
Address: Szent Gellért St, Budapest
Phone: (1) 889 55 00
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sa-Sun 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Website: http://www.danubiusgroup.com/danubius/gellert
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Hõsök tere (Heroes’ Square) and Millenniumi Emlékmû (Millennium Monument)
Heroes’ Square was built in 1896 in honor of the thousandth anniversary of the Magyar conquest. Here is also the 36 m high column with Archangel Gabriel at the top (winner of the grand prize of the 1900 Paris World Exhibition). That is why the equestrian statues of seven victorious Magyar leaders and Hungary’s most respected rulers stand in a semicircle – from King Stephan to Kossuth.
Address: VI. Andrássy út, corner of Dózsa Dyörgy út, Budapest
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Magyar Nemzeti Galeria
Within the palace walls of the Buda Royal Castle is a huge complex with various museums, including the Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria), the Budapest Historical Museum (Budapesti Történeti Múzeum) and the State Library Széchenyi. The Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria) is located in the heart of the palace. This encyclopedic collection of Hungarian art from the 10th century to the present day with its depictions of victorious and devastating battles, romantic rural scenes and the altarpieces from the Middle Ages provide an insight into Hungarian national identity.
Address: Dísz tér 17, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 439 73 25
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Website: http://www.mng.hu
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Margitsziget (Margaret Island)
Margaret Island lies in a bend in the Danube and is connected to Buda and Pest by the Árpád and Margaret Bridge. The 2 km long island is one of the quietest and greenest spots in Budapest. Cars are not allowed here and are not needed, because the island can be crossed in 20 minutes on foot from Margaret Bridge to Árpád Bridge. It was named after the devout daughter of King Bélas IV, who lived here in a Dominican monastery in the 13th century. The ruins of the monastery are still on the east bank of the island, near the ruins of a Franciscan church. Also of interest are a 100 year old park, a chapel from the 12th century restored in the 1930s, sculptures by Hungarian artists and writers, an open-air theater and UNESCO-listed water tower. There are also two hotels on the island. In summer, Margaret Island is populated by visitors who relax in the swimming pools fed by underground springs, Hajós Alfréd and Palatinus.
Address: Margitsziget, Budapest
Website: http://www.budapestinfo.hu/de
Entry fee: Free entry.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church)
The Zsolnay pyrogranite tiles of the Matthias Church are as colorful and dazzling as snake skin, and the interior shows a mixture of styles from the 13th-19th centuries. Century. It is believed that a church was built here for the first time in 1015 under King István. In 1458 the Renaissance king Matyás Corvinus was crowned here, who also married twice in these walls. When the castle district was besieged by the Turks in 1541, this church was turned into a mosque and excerpts from the Koran were painted on the walls. The building also suffered from the siege of Buda in 1686 and was in the 19th century. but restored by Frigyes Schulek, who uncovered the remains of 16th-century murals, vaults, and sculptures and installed some self-designed gargoyles that were supposed to bring good luck. Behind the altar is the entrance to the church museum, which gives access to underground crypts and a chapel. There are also jewels and the skull of King Mátyá’s sister-in-law. High trade fairs take place on Sundays at 10 a.m. Concerts are also often organized.
Address: I. Szentháromság tér 2, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 355 56 57
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sa 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sun 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Website: http://www.matyas-templom.hu
Entry fee: Free entry.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Országház (parliament)
The Budapest Parliament, designed by Imre Steindl and based on the London Houses of Parliament, won first prize in a competition held to mark the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian nation. Construction started in 1885 and was completed in 1902. The entrance to Parliament is at Kossuth Lajos tér, which was named after the leader of the 1848 revolution. The building stretches over 250 m along the Danube and has an elegant neo-renaissance tower with a pointed neo-Gothic tower. The crowds gathered on Kossuth Lajos tér on October 23, 1989 when Mátyás Szurös proclaimed the Hungarian People’s Republic from a balcony.
Address: V. Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 441 49 04
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sa 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sun 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guided tours should be booked in advance.
Website: http://www.parlament.hu
Entry fee: EU citizens free entry to parliament; Guided tours with entrance fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Palace of the Arts and Ludwig Museum
The Palace of the Arts is a unique institution in Central Europe, because the cultural center focuses on maintaining tradition, encourages experimentation, promotes classical music, opera, dance, jazz, world music, sophisticated pop music and the visual arts. The National Philharmonic Orchestra, the choir and the music collection, the Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Arts and the National Dance Theater have all found a new home here.
The Ludwig Múzeum (Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art) was named after its German sponsor Peter Ludwig, whose foundations include works by Picasso, Warhol and Lichtenstein. Eastern European paintings and sculptures critically criticize dwindling communism.
Address: Komor Marcell St 1, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 555 30 01 (Palace of Arts) and (1) 555 34 44 (Ludwig Museum)
Opening times:
Palace of the Arts: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Ludwig Museum: Tue-Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Website: http://www.ludwigmuseum.hu (Ludwig Museum)
Entrance fee:
Palace of the Arts: Free entry.
Ludwig Museum: Tue-Sun 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
State Library of Széchenyi
Inside the palace walls there is a huge complex with various museums, including the Széchenyi State Library, the Budapest Historical Museum and the Hungarian National Gallery.
Address: Dísz tér, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 224 37 00
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Website: http://www.oszk.hu
Entry fee: Free entry.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Szent István Bazilika (St. Stephen’s Basilica)
The St. Stephen’s Basilica designed by József Hild is the largest church in Budapest and has seating for 8,500 people. It was built in 1845, but was not consecrated until 1905. The basilica’s original dome was destroyed in a storm in 1868, after which the neo-renaissance building was rebuilt. It was damaged again in the Second World War. The restoration work that started in 1980 is still ongoing. The portrait of St. Stephen painted by Gyula Benczúr, on which he presents the Hungarian crown to the Virgin Mary, is intended to symbolize the alliance between Hungary and Western Europe. The most interesting thing about this church is undoubtedly the embalmed right hand of the saint. From the tower of the basilica you get a fantastic view of the city.
Address: Szent István tér, Budapest
Phone: (1) 311 08 39
Opening hours:
Basilica: Mon-Sat 9 am-7pm, Sun 7:15 am-7pm; Chapel Szent Jobb and dome: different; Tower: daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Website: http://bazilika.biz
Entry fee: Free entry; Tower with entry fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Szobor Park (statue park)
Just like Lenin Boulevard and Marx Square, which no longer exist in Budapest, so did their statues and monuments, which were exiled in the statue park. You can reach this eerie outdoor attraction, which is steadily gaining popularity, in 10-15 minutes with the Diósder bus that starts at Eteler Platz. There is also a direct bus line from Deák Ferenc Square.
Address: XXII. Balatoni út, corner of Szabadkai út, Budapest
Telephone: (1) 424 75 00
Opening hours: Daily 10 a.m. to sunset.
Website: http://www.mementopark.hu
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Széchenyi Lánchíd (Chain Bridge)
Buda and Pest are connected by eight bridges, but the chain bridge with its solid arches and lion statues is the first and most famous.
Count István Széchenyi commissioned the Englishman William Tierney Clark, who was also responsible for the construction of the London Hammersmith Bridge, to design the bridge, and the Scotsman Adam Clark to oversee the construction. The bridge, completed in 1848, was inaugurated a year later and enabled the unification of Buda, Pest and Óbuda in 1872. The bridge suffered great damage during World War II, but was restored and reopened on November 21, 1949. There is a small square at the foot of the bridge in honor of Adam Clark. There is also the ‘kilometer zero’, from which all distances to Budapest are measured.
Address: Clark Ádám tér, Budapest
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Városliget (City Park)
The Városliget, Budapest’s largest park, was designed by the French landscape architect Nebbion and is often used by the locals for walks. Attractions include a zoological and botanical garden, a quarry pond (ice skating here in winter) and the Vajdahunyad Vára, a castle that shows the many Hungarian architectural styles up to the 19th century. The statue of George Washington was placed in the park by grateful Hungarians who were allowed to settle in America. In the park there is also the large, decorated Széchenyi fürdõ (Széchenyi Bath), which is known for its huge floating chess boards as well as for the healing powers of water, as well as an amusement park, the Transport Museum and the Budapest Grand Circus.
Address: Dózsa György Way, Budapest
Opening times:
Széchenyi Bath: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Zoological and botanical garden
January and February: Daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
March: Mon – Thu 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fri-Sun 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
April: Mon – Thu 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and Fri-Sun 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
May to Augustr: Mon – Thu 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and Fri-Sun 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
September: Mon – Thu 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and Fri-Sun 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
October: Mon – Thu 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fri-Sun 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
November and December: daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except 24 December. and December 31 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Transport museum
January to April and October to December: Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
May to September: Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Website: http://www.maciva.hu (Budapest Grand Circus) Entrance Fee
Hours:
Széchenyi Bath: with entrance fee.
Zoological and botanical garden: with admission fee.
Transport Museum: With admission fee.
Disabled access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist offices
Budapest Tourism Office
The main tourist information office is located on Liszt Ferenc tér 9-11 (tel: (01) 322 40 98). Additional branches can be found in the main hall of Budapest Nyugati train station, at Ferihegy airport and in the castle district.
Information is also available from the IBUSZ Tourist Office, XI Dayka G utca 3 (Tel: (01) 485 2765. Internet: www.ibusz.hu) and from Tourinform, Sütö utca 2 (Tel: (01) 438 80 80. Internet: www. tourinform.hu).
Address: V. District
Március 15. tér 7, Budapest
Telephone: (01) 322 40 98
Opening times: Daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Website: http://www.budapestinfo.hu/de
Visitor passes
The Budapest Card (Internet: www.budapest-card.com) is easy to use and very worthwhile. With this visitor pass, which is valid for the cardholder and a child under the age of 14, you can use unlimited public transport, have free entry to 65 museums and 14 sights, can take part in city tours for free, get discounts at cultural and folkloric events, in sports facilities, Baths, shops and restaurants. They can also be purchased as a junior card and as a walking card for seniors. Details can be found in the booklet accompanying the Budapest card. It is available for 24, 48 or 72 hours at tourist information, in hotels, at the ticket counters of the larger underground stations and on the website of the Budapest Tourism Office, www.budapestinfo.hu.