The trouble with Budapest is it’s too beautiful. Wherever I go, I see a building that dares me to pass it by without taking a photo.
I’ve been here two days and already taken far too many photos.
I’ve also had conversations and experiences I must share about, but I’ll save that for a later post. For now, I just want to share some photos and stories of exquisite buildings.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
I’ll start here, because it’s right across the street from my hotel, so it’s the first beauteous monumental edifice I encountered after arriving.
Stephen was canonized on August 20, 1083. August 20 is a holiday in Hungary to this day, celebrated as St. Stephen’s Day or State Foundation Day.
Hungarian National Opera
I have tickets to the opera later this week, but I happened to be in the vicinity on a food tour today, and we stepped inside to see the lobby.
Along the Danube
The Danube River divides Budapest into Buda (to the west) and Pest (to the east). I took a one-hour cruise on the river and it did not disappoint. The trouble with Budapest, as I said, is it’s too beautiful. And it’s too beautiful on both sides, so I spent the entire cruise gaping and snapping pics. We started before dark and ended after dark, so each building had to be captured twice, in natural and artificial light.
First completed in 1265, the Baroque palace that occupies most of the site today was built between 1749 and 1769, severely damaged during the Siege of Budapest in World War II, and rebuilt in a simplified Baroque style during the Communist era.
The retreating Germans blew it up in 1945, leaving only the towers standing. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1949.
The white stone terrace with towers to the right is Fisherman’s Bastion, from the 18th century
Also pictured is the Hilton Hotel
(Buda)
And of course, when I got back to my hotel after the cruise, I had to take a nighttime photo of St. Stephen’s.
Andrássy út
This main avenue of Budapest is lined with spectacular neo-Renaissance mansions and apartments, now with high-end shops. I’ve only walked a portion of it, and I enjoyed not only the grandeur of the architecture, but also some of the details on the facades.
The trouble with Budapest is I’ve only begun to scratch the surface. There’s still so much more to see. I don’t know how I will keep from exploding my photo album.
Su Bennett
Lane, if by chance you haven’t left Budapest by the time you get this message, if you can get inside the parliament buildings, I would recommend it. I thought they were beautiful!
Lane
Thank you Su! That was one of my top priorities for my time in Budapest, and it is every bit as beautiful as you say.
Abby Bergman
I love Budapest. We’ve been there several times both during and after the Communist Era. Spectacular sites, delicious meals, etc., etc. But alas, during two of our visits we were robbed and of course the authorities wouldn’t even take a report. One time was on the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and the other time in Pest in the City Park (Városliget). Thankfully, it was just money and in one case my wife’s purse. Yet, I would still go again!
Abby
Richard
Nice to see your photos. Being Hungarian myself, I would love to go back. I went in 1997, and saw my first opera at that opera house. Loved Andrassy St and stayed near the Oktagon. Onward…