Where in the world are Duane and Gayle?: April 2015

Easter in Budapest 2015

Gayle and I celebrated the 2015 Easter season with a visit to the historical and beautiful European city of Budapest, Hungary. The city has resurrected itself from the ruins of many centuries of invasion and a world war to what now can been seen as the lively and inviting joined cities of Buda and Pest on the banks of the Danube River. The geography of the city, its friendly people and the close proximity of its many landmarks, shops, restaurants and cafes made our visit to Budapest most memorable.

Having done our research and with our itinerary in hand, we set out on our adventure to see this wonderful city. The well known UNESCO World Heritage sites as Andrassy Avenue, Buda Castle District and the banks of the Danube River are at the top of our list. Vaci Street, Parliament, Heroes Square & Millenium Monument, St. Stephens Basilica, Royal Palace, the National Art Gallery & History Museums, Vigado Concert Hall, the Hungarian Opera House, the Great Market Hall, Vajdahunyad Castle, the market faires are just a few of the sites the plan to visit.

The arrival of spring was evidenced by the presence of the many flowering cherry trees, magnolia trees and the many varieties of beautiful flowers. The layout of the city, it cleanliness and its well maintained walkways and pavements made our walking easy and enjoyable.

The night time brings an added charm to the city of Budapest, illuminating all of its buildings, bridges, castles, churches and catherdral, and monuments, to highlight their grandeur.

Our visit would not have been complete without our frequenting the many cafes, street eateries and fine dining restaurants seeking to enjoy the Hungarian cuisine at its best. Hungarian goulash, local wines, and of course, delicious strudels, were plentiful to our delight.

Our time in Budapest was truly an enriching and fun experience. We would encourage you to follow in our footsteps and come see this beautiful city and all that it has to offer.

The historically elegant Four Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel was our residence of choice during our six day visit. This highly regarded hotel is centrally located on the Pest side and has truly magnificent panoramic views of the Danube River, the Buda Castle and the Hills of Buda. The hotel enjoys an impressive and unobstructed view directly onto the entrance of the historic Chain Bridge.

Splendid view from our Room.

Controversial Hungarian Memorial

The Soviet Monument is one of the very few remaining Soviet monuments in Budapest occupying a prominent place in the middle of Freedom Square. The monument honors the soldiers of the Red Army who died in 1944-1945 during the liberation of Budapest. The monument consists of an obelisk with a crest showing the Communist hammer and sickle. At the bottom is a bas-relief of the names of the Soviet soldiers engaged in the battle. The obelisk is crowned with a five-pointed Communist star.

In 2001, a bronze statue of former American president Ronald Reagan was unveiled at Freedom Square to honor Reagan for his role in bringing an end to the Cold War.

The Szechenyi Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge 375 metres (1,230 ft.) long that spans the Danube River between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Designed by English engineer William Tierney Clark, it was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary. It opened on 20 November 1849.

Church of St. Teresa

Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, and was first completed in 1265. Buda Castle was built on the southern tip of the Castle Hill, bounded on the north by what is known as the Castle District, which is famous for its Medieval, Baroque and 19^th century houses, churches and public buildings.

The Zero Kilometre Stone is a 3-metre high limestone sculpture forming a zero sign with an inscription on its pedestal reading “KM” for kilometres. This stone marks the reference point from which all distances to Budapest are measured in the country from its present location on the Buda side at Szechenyi Chain Bridge.

Buda Castle Tunnel

The Budapest Castle Hill Funicular is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like cars on rails moves them up and down a steep slope. The ascending and descending cars counterbalance each other. The funicular links the Adam Clark Square and the Szechenyi Chain Bridge at river level to the Buda Castle above.

One Entry Into Buda Castle Courtyard

Fishing Kids Fountain located in the Castle District.

The Sandor Palace is the official residence of the President of Hungary and the seat of the Office of the President, both since 22 January 2003. Sandor Palace is the 37^th biggest palace in present-day Hungary. The original palace was built in about 1803, and was completed in about 1806.

The Hungarian State Opera opened on 27 September 1884 and is located on the famous Andrassy Avenue. Today it is the largest opera house in Budapest and in Hungary.

Heroes Square is one of the major squares in Budapest, noted for its Millennium Monument iconic statue complex featuring the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars and other important national leaders, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The square lies at the eastern end of Andrassy Avenue next to City Park.

Ethographic Museum

Academy of Science

Vigado Concert Hall completed in 1865 is located along the Danube Promenade in Pest. It is considered to be the most beautiful and is the second largest concert hall in Budapest.

Vajahunyad Castle is a castle in the City Park of Budapest. It was build between 1896 and 1908 as part of the Millennial Exhibition which celebrated 1,000 years of Hungary since the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895.

At the foot of Gellert Hill stands the famous Gellert Hotel and the magnificent Gellert thermal baths. The hotel opened in 1918 as the first luxury hotel in Budapest. The domed Gellert Fountain was built in 2003 and stands prominently in front of the hotel symbolizing the city’s thermal springs.

Chapel in the Hill

The 14 metre tall bronze Liberty (Freedom) Stature was erected in 1947 atop a 26 metre pedestal at the top of Gellert Hill, making it a prominent feature of the Budapest cityscape. It commemorates those who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom and prosperity of Hungary.

Empress Erzsebeth near Erzsebeth Bridge.

Buda Hills Gardens

Matthias Church is a Roman Catholic church located in front of the Fisherman’s Bastion at the heart of the Buda Castle District. It is the second largest church of medieval Buda and the seventh largest church of medieval Hungary Kingdom. The most magnificent monument in the church is the double sarcophagus of King Bella III and his wife Anne de Chatillon in the Trinity Chapel.

A bronze statue of Stephen I of Hungary mounted on a horse, erected in 1906, can be seen between the Bastion and the Matthias Church.

Fisherman’s Bastion is a viewing terrace on Buda Hill near Buda Castle with many stairs and walking paths situated on the Buda bank of the Danube River. It was designed and built between 1895 and 1902. From the towers and the terrace a panoramic view exists of the Danube, Margaret Island, Pest to the east and Gellert Hill. Its seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 896. The Bastion takes its name from the guild of fisherman that was responsible for the defending of this stretch of city walls in the Middle Ages.

The Great Market Hall is the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest. It is located at the end of Vaci Street, the famous pedestrian shopping street on the pest side of Liberty Bridge. The market contains a variety of stalls on three floors offering fresh produce, meats, pastries, candies, spices, spirits, eateries, souvenirs, butcher shops and a fish market.

St. Stephens Basilica is a Roman Catholic basilica. It is named in honor of Stephen, the first King of Hungary (c 975-1038). Today, it is the third largest church building in present day Hungary. The basilica is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest, equal in height with the Hungarian Parliament Building at 96 metres (315 ft.). This equation symbolizes that worldly and spiritual thinking have the same importance. According to current regulations, there cannot be a building in Budapest greater in height than 96 metres (315 ft.)

The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe’s oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark located in Lajos Kossuth Square on the bank of the Danube River. It is currently the largest building I Hungary and still the highest building in Budapest.

The Shoes on the Danube is a memorial on the west bank of the Danube River to honor the Jews who were killed by fascist militiamen in Budapest during World War II. They were ordered to take off their shoes, and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. All that remained were their shoes left behind on the river’s bank.

Uncle Charlie the Jovial Hungarian Policeman from the early 1900’s along Zrinyi Street near St. Stephen’s Basilica. The custom is to rub the policeman’s belly and wish for a tasty meal.

Miklos Ybl – Man leaning against railing.

Váci Street

Scooter Boy 2008

Soldier’s Statue erected in the Memory of the freedom fighters who fought in 1848 in Buda Castle.

Prince Eugene of Savoy at Buda Castle

Vaci Street is one of the main pedestrian thoroughfares and a famous street of Central Budapest featuring a large number of restaurants, cafes and shops.