|
Budapest is the tenth-largest
city in the European Union which became a global
city with the unification of Buda, Pest and Obuda in
1873. It became a co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian
empire which dissolved in 1918, and was the focal
point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
|
|
The Chain Bridge,
completed in 1849, was the first to cross the Danube and is
an icon of the city's 19th Century splendor. Both banks of
the Danube are UNESCO world heritage sites.
|
The Hungarian Parliament, completed in 1904, is
the world's third largest parliament building. Sights inside
include the House of Lords and the Crown Jewels.
|
|
The Lajo Kossuth Monument anchors Kossuth
Square, the symbolic heart of the Hungarian state. Around
the square lie the great public buildings, the Parliament,
the Museum of Ethnography and the Ministry of Agriculture.
|
The Soviet War memorial commemorates the
Soviet soldiers who died during the battle for Budapest
against the German and Hungarian armies in 1945 which led to
Hungary becoming a communist country for several decades.
|
|
Attractively cobblestoned St. Stephen's
Square in front of St. Stephen's Basilica, the hub of
tourist Pest, is surrounded by pubs and cafes.
|
Between 1880 and 1900 many spectacular
buildings were constructed; however there are many parts of
the city where restoration is still needed.
|
|
Heroes' Square is dominated by the Millenary
Monument,
with the Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier in
front.
|
To the sides are the Museum
of Fine Arts and
the Art
Gallery,
and behind are the City Park with Vajdahunyad
Castle
and an ice-skating rink.
|
There are many delightful
statues throughout the streets of Budapest.
|
A favorite statue is the
monument to Imre Nagy, who was the leader of the Hungarian
Revolution of 1956 against the Soviet-backed government, for
which he was executed two years later.
|
|
The Dohany Street Synagogue is the second
largest active synagogue in the world. It has excellent
displays of Jewish cultural and religious practices.
|
Adjacent to the synagogue is a
steel weeping willow tree, each leaf representing a Hungarian
victim of the Holocaust.
|
Dating back to Magyar mythology and
through a history of invasions, wars and liberations,
Hungary has maintained a spirit of fighting for freedom and
independence.
|
Margaret Island is a 2.5
km long landscaped recreational park in the middle of the
Danube. Its Music Fountain sprays to various musical themes.
|
Sights on Margaret Island
include the Centennial Memorial Sculpture, a Japanese
garden, a small zoo and a concert pavilion.
|
The Art Nouveau water
tower on Margaret Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site,
now used as an exhibition space.
|
Still in use, the Millenium Underground
Railway was one of the world's first electrified underground
subway lines.
|
.htm_cmp_inmotion010_vbtn_p.gif){kind=small}
.htm_cmp_inmotion010_vbtn.gif){kind=small}
