The Royal Palace (Buda Castle) in Budapest, Hungary

On our first full day in Budapest, we crossed the Chain Bridge and took the funicular (which is a type of railway that goes up the side of a mountain) to the top of the hill in order to walk around the Castle District. The Royal Palace, also referred to as Buda Castle, is certainly one of the most dominant features in Budapest. Whether during the day or at night, when it is lit up, the palace can be seen from almost everyplace in Pest. There are definitely many wonderful things to see within the Castle District, but the Royal Palace is the most important site to visit. As we’ve mentioned before, Budapest is really two cities, Buda and Pest, that were combined when the first permanent bridge was created, so Buda Castle is the main site to visit on the Buda side of the river.

The Royal Palace Dome
View of the Royal Palace from the Citadel
Archway to the Main Courtyard
Fountain Depicting Hunters

Unlike a lot of other palaces, the inside of the Royal Palace is not a representation of what life would have been like hundreds of years ago when the aristocrats lived there that can be toured. Instead it houses both the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum as well as the Hungarian National Library. One of the most interesting features of the Royal Palace is the fountain depicting a hunting scene that is in the main courtyard. Like many palaces, the Royal Palace is really a complex of buildings with the main residence being the main focal point. This makes for an interesting mix of architectural styles as you walk amongst the complex.

Royal Palace from the Danube River Cruise
Royal Crest
Statue on the Palace Grounds
Another View of the Palace

We decided to take the stairs along the castle wall back down to the river, which gave us wonderful views of the city. No surprisingly considering the size of the Royal Palace, many of our photographs of the palace were actually taken from across the Danube River, the top of St. Stephen’s Basilica, and even from the Citadel, which is also on the Buda side of the river. Seeing the Royal Palace lit up at night with its reflection in the water is probably one of the most iconic images of the castle and is even the main picture on the castle’s website. It is pretty much impossible not to see the Royal Palace during a visit to Budapest, but it is certainly worth taking the time to go to the Castle District and walking around the grounds.

Palace Viewed from Across the River
Looking Down the Funicular
View of the Parliament Building from the Palace
Building in the Castle Complex
Stairs We Climbed Down

 

Our Overall Impressions of Budapest

We certainly enjoyed our week in Budapest, which included a full day trip to Bratislava in Slovakia. Although the weather didn’t always cooperate, we managed to adjust our schedules to account for the rain and definitely made the most of our time. Budapest is a beautiful city in Hungary with a lot of wonderful architecture and unique features that can be found throughout the old town areas. Sitting on the shore of the Danube River, it has been flooded and rebuilt over time, but there are many buildings that are centuries old and represent many different architectural styles. We found the historic districts to be extremely walkable, but there is an excellent public transportation system, at least within the city itself.

St. Stephen’s Basilica
Vajdahunyad Castle Near Heroes Square

After traveling 20 hours, including layovers, and arriving early on a Sunday morning, we got settled into our hotel and headed out to get acquainted to the area. Unfortunately, after asking the concierge for directions, we misunderstood which way to go. When we reached the main street, one of the ringed streets that circle the city and denote historical borders of the city throughout its history, we turned the wrong direction and headed away from the river and the Inner City district. Since we thought that we were heading the right direction, we were surprised to see that the buildings were not historic and beautiful, but rather very utilitarian as one would expect from a country that was occupied by the Soviet Union. When we reached the main train station, we were pretty confident that we’d gone the wrong way. We managed to find a good restaurant for lunch and then walked back towards our hotel and to our intended destination.

Royal Palace in the Castle District
Chain Bridge Looking Towards Pest

The city is broken up  into several districts and there are certain ones that must be on your list to see during your time in Budapest. Without a doubt the Castle District with the Royal Palace should be high on your list of places to visit. It is important to understand that Budapest is actually made up of two regions that are separated by the Danube. The side with the Castle District resides in Buda and the Parliament and Inner City are in Pest. They were distinct cities until the Chain Bridge was built and the cities were combined to make the single city of Budapest. There are important sights to see on both sides of the river, so we crossed the bridges several times during our stay.

St. Michael’s Church in the Buda Castle District
Parliament Building Along the Danube River

To understand the culture of Hungary, it is important to understand its history, which hasn’t always been pleasant. They have been conquered many times and also chose to side with Germany in both World Wars, which didn’t work out well for them. They also used to be one of the largest and most powerful countries in Europe and their borders and influence have been drastically reduced after the losses in the World Wars. They were also absorbed by the Soviet Union after the war, which was another tragic period in their history. There is definitely a sense of pride and optimism with their inclusion in the EU, but they don’t shy away from their history, including the role that the holocaust played within the country.

Heroes Square Monument
View of Buda from the Citadel

All in all, our initial impression of Budapest is that of a historic city with a complex history and culture. From the Hungarians initial migration from Asia to the Carpathian region, their ability to withstand multiple occupations, and the decisions that led them to be on the wrong side of history, there is much more to understand than just the typical palaces, castles, and cathedrals that dominate most visits to cities in Europe. In some ways, the fact that it rained a couple of days during our trip added to our impression of the city and its somewhat dark history. We look forward to providing details about each of the important sites to visit over the coming weeks.

Inside the Courtyard of the Great Synagogue
Historic Tower in the Castle District

 

First Full Day in Budapest

After a long, but uneventful flight to Budapest, we spent our first full day exploring yesterday. It was truly a wonderful day, full of sunshine and amazing sights. We walked part of the inner city, toured the castle district, and even did a dinner cruise on the Danube River. Today is a rainy and cool day, so we’ll be focusing on inside activities. We still have plenty to see, plus a trip planned to go to Bratislava, Slovakia. We are really looking forward to sharing our stories when we get home, but here are a few pictures of our first day.

Walking in the Castle District
Royal Palace
Tower in the Castle District
Palace Fountain
Mathias Church
Chain Bridge
Royal Palace at Night from the Dinner Cruise