The Best of the Buda Castle District in Budapest, Hungary

On June 25, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Hungary7 Comments

Doing a tour, whether self-guided or with a guide, of the Buda Castle District is one of the most popular things to do when visiting Budapest, the capital of Hungary. We decided to tour the district on our own and found the history and architecture to be fascinating. There is a lot to see in the Buda Castle District, so expect to spend the majority of a day enjoying the sights. The castle district is basically the castle complex which includes the palace grounds, churches, and fortifications. Today, it is also home to many small hotels, restaurants, as well as pubs, which will give you plenty of options to grab a meal during your tour. In addition to all of the sites within the complex, castle hill on which the complex sits, also provides amazing views of the Parliament Building and St. Stephen’s Basilica. These are the important places to see when taking a tour of the Buda Castle District.

Royal Palace from the Danube River Cruise

The Royal Palace (Buda Castle) – Some of the best views of the palace are actually from the Danube River below, but the palace is obviously the main attraction within the complex. Unlike many other palaces that offer a glimpse into the lives of the people who lived there, the palace buildings today house the Hungarian National Gallery and the National Library.
Matthias Church and the Holy Trinity Statue
Matthias Church – With its colorful roof, Gothic architecture, and Holy Trinity Statue, Mattias Church offers a lot to see. Located in the heart of the Buda Castle District, the church’s bell tower rises high above the buildings in the complex. Like the palace, Matthias church can easily be seen from the river, but it is much more impressive up close.
The Largest Tower of the Fisherman’s Bastion
Fisherman’s Bastion – Located behind Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion is made up of a fortress wall and seven towers. Built in the 1800’s, the combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque architecture make it quite interesting. Some of the best views of the Pest side of the Danube River and the Parliament Building can be seen from the walls and towers of the Fisherman’s Bastion.
Magdaline Church Bell Tower
Magdaline Church Tower – As you reach the end of the Buda Castle District, you’ll find this wonderful church tower. The Church of Mary Magdaline was originally built in the 13th century, but suffered major damage over the years. Today visitors can climb the 170 stairs to the top of the tower to enjoy panoramic views.
One of the Many Restaurants
Restaurants – Although obviously catering to the throngs of tourists who visit the Buda Castle District daily, there are wonderful choices of restaurants in the area. We actually had some of the best wine of our trip while touring the district. Whether enjoying a local dish such as Hungarian Goulash or choosing another cuisine, there are plenty of food options available.
Riding the Funicular
Funicular and Castle Stairs – The funicular is the easiest way to get to the top of Castle Hill and start your tour and also provides wonderful views along the way. We recommend taking the funicular up to the castle complex and then walking down the castle stairs when your tour is complete.
Walking the Castle Stairs

The Buda Castle District is certainly one of the highlights to any trip to Budapest. With hundreds of years of history that extend back to beginning of Hungary’s history, it is an important cultural location. The Buda Castle District was home to Hungary’s royalty and wealthy aristocrats, which looked down upon the more humble dwellings in Pest. The Chain Bridge now extends across the Danube River at the base of Castle Hill and served to not only bridge the river, but also to blend the cities of Buda and Pest into the city of Budapest that we know today.

Fortress with a View in Budapest, Hungary

On June 24, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Hungary6 Comments

The Citadella is a fortress that sits on top of Gellért Hill on the Buda side of the Danube River. The Liberty Statue that is located next to the citadel can be seen from throughout the downtown area of Pest. The bronze statue features a woman raising a palm leaf toward the sky and, although it was built by the Soviet Union, it still represents Hungary’s freedom from Nazi occupation. As interesting as the fortress and statues are, the main reason for making the trek to the top of Gellért Hill is for the views of Budapest. You can see the Buda Castle District, the Parliament Building, St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Danube River, and the heart of Budapest.

Looking Up at the Fortress and Liberty Statue from the River

We walked from our hotel down to the river where we crossed Liberty Bridge to start our hike to the top of Gellért Hill, which is 771 feet above the river below. The winding path is fairly steep and takes you through a wooded area as well as by the St. Gellért Monument. The hill gets its name because it is the location where St. Gellért was brutally killed and apparently tossed from the hill. It took us about an hour to make the walk to the top of the hill, but we stopped several times to take in the scenic views at the various overlooks.

As we reached the Citadella at the top of the hill, we had worked up quite a thirst and were quite happy to find out that their were several vendors selling food and drinks next to the fortress walls. In addition to the Liberty Statue, there were also two smaller statues that remain from the original four statues that were erected at the site. The other two statues were moved to Statue Park some time after 1947 when Liberty Statue was erected. Once at the top of the hill, we spent about thirty minutes walking around the fortress and statues. We happened to go on a Saturday and there was a mix of tourists as well as locals enjoying the beautiful weather.

Bird Along the Trail to the Top of Gellért Hill

St Stephen’s Basilica and the City of Budapest

There are many wonderful sites to visit while in Budapest and the Citadella is certainly one of them. We would definitely recommend going on a clear day in order to take full advantage of the incredible views of the city.

The Dohany Street Synagogue in Budapest

On June 17, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Hungary3 Comments

The Dohany Street Synagogue, also known as the Great Synagogue, is certainly an important site to visit during any trip to Budapest, Hungary. There are many reasons to visit the synagogue including its size, architecture, and history. The synagogue complex is also home to the Hungarian Jewish Museum, Heroes’ Temple, Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park, and the Jewish Cemetery. There can be long lines to get into the Dohany Street Synagogue, but it is definitely worth the wait. You will undoubtedly walk away with a mix of emotions as it is haunting, sad, and yet a sense of human nature’s ability to overcome.

Along with Shoes Along the Danube Bank, walking through the Hungarian Jewish Museum is a stark reminder of how horrific the Jewish community was treated during World War II. The Dohany Street Synagogue is located in the Old Jewish Quarter of Budapest and was part of the Jewish Ghetto during the war. It is important for everyone to understand and remember the atrocities that occurred. In addition to the museum, the Jewish Cemetery, which would not normally be located next to the synagogue, is where over 2,000 people were buried toward the end of the war. There is a statue of a weeping willow in the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park in the rear courtyard that has the names and tattoo numbers of those whose lives were lost there.

The inside of the Dohany Street Synagogue is truly quite beautiful. Built in the 1850’s in a Moorish design, the synagogue holds up to 3,000 worshipers making it the second largest synagogue in the world and the largest in Europe. The seats on the ground floor are for men and the upper gallery has seats for women. There is also an ornately decorated dome within the synagogue as well as large chandeliers above the center aisle. There are also gothic influences as well, including the stained glass windows that line the main chamber.

We spent about two hours touring the Great Synagogue and it is definitely worth at least that amount of time. There are also many wonderful restaurants and shops located in the Old Jewish Quarter, so you should also spend several hours wondering through the narrow side streets. The Dohany Street Synagogue is an important landmark in Budapest and Hungary in general. We visited on a rainy day, which made the experience even more impactful.