Break out your bucket list; it’s time to imagine UNESCO sites in Europe to explore. Whether you can only dream or have the means to go, our ongoing travel series will take you far away from reality into a time when Kings and Queens ruled, family feuds were deadly, and the countryside was filled with castles and forts that protected against invaders.
“UNESCO World Heritage is the designation for places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.” —unesco.org
An unexpected beauty, Budapest is full of culture and historical significance dating back to Celtic times before AD 1. The capital of Hungary, Budapest is the largest city on the Danube River, with a population of over 1.75 million. Once under communist rule, it separated from the Soviet Union in 1989 by peaceful transition to democratic rule.
Budapest’s World Heritage Site consists of three parts: the Buda Castle Quarter; the banks of the Danube, which include the Parliament Building and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge; and Andrássy Avenue. Here you will find three distinct types of architecture: Roman, Gothic/Neo-Gothic, and Renaissance. Take a river cruise at night and discover why it’s known as the Paris of the East or the “second city of lights.”
Buda Castle Quarter – Buda Castle (Royal Palace) was originally built by King Bela IV of Hungary in the 12th century. Unfortunately, this is no longer standing after the invasion of the Mongols; the oldest part of the castle that remains dates to the 14th century, built by the Duke of Slavonia and his brother King Louis I. Later, King Sigismund enlarged the palace to suit the needs of an emperor and fortify the walls against invasion. These renovations made it the largest Gothic palace in the world until the end of the Middle Ages. The final phase of palace renovations came under the rule of King Matthias Corvinus during the Renaissance period, when the first Italian artists and craftsmen arrived. The castle was mostly destroyed in the great siege of 1686, and under the Habsburg monarchy in 1715 the remaining walls were demolished, but the southern fortifications and rooms remained, buried under rubbish and earth. Under the order of King Charles III, a new Royal Palace was built on the site, then expanded on again. After the devastation of WWII, the castle had to be restored to what you can see today.
The massive baroque Royal Palace houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest Historical Museum, amongst other significant buildings and rooms. On Castle Hill you will find many other significant historical places, including Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Romanesque architectural wonder that was said to be named after the guild of fishermen who defended the area in the Middle Ages; here you can take in the sweeping vistas of the Danube and the Parliament Building. Matthias Church, home of Matthias Fountain, is another significant historical building, a beautiful and peaceful place. Sándor Palace is the official residence of the president of Hungary, where you can watch the changing of the guards. You can also experience the labyrinth located under Castle Hill. It’s a network of underground caves and tunnels where you wind through the ancient city and witness remnants of the cold war.
Banks of the Danube includes the Hungarian Parliament Building, which is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, opened in 1902 and created in the neo-gothic style, and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge designed by William Tierney Clark in 1839 and built by Adam Clark to connect Buda and Pest. It was the first bridge to cross the Danube in Hungary.
Andrássy Avenue, added to the UNESCO Heritage Sites in 2002, houses many structures dating back to the 19th century including the State Opera House, Budapest Art Hall, beautiful row houses, and the House of Terror Museum, a government building operated during the Nazis and Soviet times and now re-envisioned as a monument to the victims of those regimes. The avenue ends at Heroes Square, a beautiful Millenium Monument featuring statues of seven chieftains of the Magyars and other important Hungarian national leaders, as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes.
Fun Facts
- Budapest was created by unifying two cities: Buda on the West side of the Danube River and Pest on the Eastern side.
- Known as The Paris of the East.
- Legend has it that Buda Castle Labyrinth once imprisoned “Count Dracula.”
- Budapest has more thermal water springs, 80 to be exact, than any other capital city in the world. A visit to one of the many ancient baths is a must.
- Budapest is both a city and a county.
- You can visit the “House of Houdini,” located on Castle Hill.
Foods to Try
- Gulyás, known in English as Goulash. This is the national food. Hearty soup of tender meat and vegetables heavily seasoned with paprika and other spices.
- Palacsinta (Hungarian Pancakes) are paper thin pancakes (like crepes) made with various fillings, both sweet and savory.
- Dobos Torta, made up of several thin layers of vanilla sponge cake, each slathered with rich chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel. This is the most famous Hungarian cake.
- Kürtöskalács (Chimney Cake). Celebrated as the oldest pastry of Hungary, this chimney-shaped pastry is made from sweet yeast dough cut into strips and wrapped around a cone, rolled in sugar, and roasted on a rotisserie. It can be eaten alone or filled with ice cream and toppings.
