Do you only have a few days to travel? Or, maybe, you just don’t feel like going to another seaside destination, and you wish to do more than just sit in the shade of your balcony, resting your feet on RV patio mats? Then visiting capital cities of Europe could be the solution for you!
Europe is full of cities of historical importance, filled with beautiful architecture and local people ready to give you the full experience of the culture, and the high number always makes some of them go a little underappreciated, such as Budapest, for example.
In case you do decide to visit the capital city of Hungary, here are some recommendations to check out.
Fisherman’s Bastion
During the late 1800s, several landmarks had been built to celebrate the 1000-year old founding of Hungary, and this stunning bastion was one of them. It sits atop of the Castle Hill and consists of 7 towers that stand for 7 Hungarian tribes that founded the nation, providing a spectacular view over the Danube and the city itself. The Buda side castle wall was protected by the fishermen’s guild and it is believed this is the reason why it was called Fishermen’s Bastion.
House of the Nation
Hungarian Parliament building, also known as the House of the Nation, is the third biggest parliament building in the world. It is currently the largest building in Hungary and still the tallest building in Budapest. It had taken it almost 20 years to be finished, which happened in 1902. The building has 691 rooms and is the place where the Hungarian Crown Jewels are kept.
Matthias Church
This Catholic temple is over 700 years old and although originally named after the Virgin Mary, taking names such as “The Church of Mary” and “The Church of Our Lady,” Matthias Church was named after King Matthias in the 19th Century, who ordered the transformation of its original southern tower. It was the place where Franz Joseph I of Austria and his wife Elizabeth were crowned, establishing the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. Its colorful roof is tiled in ceramics from the well-known Zsolnay factory in Hungary.
Museum of Applied Arts
Founded in 1872 and built in the style of art nouveau, this museum is the third oldest museum of its kind in the world. It owns a large collection of works originating from the Hungarian National Museum and gotten from world fairs, as well as the entire collection of objects once owned by one of the Hungary’s wealthiest aristocratic families, the Esterhazys. The museum’s roof is also made of Zsolnay tiles. The interior is designed using Hindu, Mogul, and Islamic designs.
Vajdahunyad Castle
Located in Budapest City Park, the Vajdahunyad castle hosts various festivals and events throughout the year, as well as exhibitions of the Hungarian Agricultural Museum. It was built in 1896 also as part of the Millennial Exhibition which celebrated the 1,000 years of Hungary. It features copies of several landmark buildings from different parts the Kingdom of Hungary, especially the Hunyad Castle in Transylvania (which is now in Romania).
This list of Budapest’s sights is vastly incomplete, but it will use as a good start for a short trip of sightseeing and admiring the city. We warmly recommend trying the local cuisine, too, if you think you can handle the heat!
