Juan David Latorre.
The two banks of the Danube as it flows through the Hungarian capital, Budapest, are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List and are described as “one of the most outstanding cityscapes in the world”. And this statement could not be more accurate.
The great Central European river, the Danube (running through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine) also serves as a link between the two historic districts that give the city its name, Buda and Pest, which has now regained the splendour of its heyday thanks to the renewal of its heritage and cultural offerings that has been changing the face of the capital for the past decade.
Visitors to Budapest are always drawn by the colourful mix of Roman remains, Gothic buildings, eclecticism and modernism. The rich and diverse cultural life of the Hungarian capital is also worth noting: everywhere you look you can see reminders of 1,000 years of Hungarian culture. Even the underground has some treasures to offer: there are unique caves near the centre of Budapest with special natural values. Stunning architecture, outstanding cultural and hotel openings, innovative events and attractions, and Europe’s most exciting city by nightfall await travellers visiting this majestic and beautiful capital this 2022.
Széchenyi Spa Resort
Budapest is also called the City of Spas. With twelve small indoor and three large outdoor pools, plus saunas and massage rooms and more than 100 years of history, the Széchenyi Spa is the largest on the continent. The waters that nourish the spa, a perfect place for those suffering from joint diseases, chronic inflammations and other ailments, come from a depth of 1,246 metres, where they gush forth at a temperature of up to 76 degrees Celsius. The spa is located in Városliget, the city park, and is neo-baroque in style. Its name is a tribute to István Széchenyi (1791-1860), one of the most important politicians and writers in Hungarian history, nicknamed “the greatest Hungarian”.
Royal Palace – Buda Castle
Situated on Gellért Hill, the immense Royal Palace is home to the History Museum, the National Gallery and the National Library. Surrounded by architectural masterpieces from centuries past, the Castle Quarter is not only a monument, but also a lively and thriving neighbourhood. Tall houses from medieval times line the cobbled streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site dates back to 1255, when King Béla IV erected his fortress on this hilltop, which today can be reached by the Sikló funicular. Converted in the 18th century into the superb monument it is today, it became the residence of successive Hungarian kings.
It also houses the Museum of Fine Arts, which exhibits works by the great masters of painting, including ten Grecos and five Goyas, in another building of enviable architecture; the Gallery of Masters of Antiquity, where the Egyptian collection stands out, with some 4,000 pieces from excavations in the Theban and Nubian areas; and the Hungarian National Museum, whose collection of objects from the history of Hungary from the founding of the state until 1990 is profusely represented.
In the Castle Quarter, the Hauszman Project is scheduled to be completed, an ambitious goal that will rehabilitate some of the city’s oldest and most majestic buildings, including the Royal Stables and the famous King St. Stephen’s Hall.
This district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a must-see to understand the essence of the Hungarian capital. Also known as the Merchants’ Quarter, it is a place for lovers of art and culture, where a great number of architectural styles converge, which will acquire an unprecedented beauty after the completion of the Hauszman Project.
Fishermen’s Bastion
The Fishermen’s Bastion owes its name to the neighbourhood below it, where fishermen brought up their catch to sell it at the market next to the present-day Matthias Church. The impressive and beautiful monument is a medieval-style fortress that was annexed to the walls of the castle hill in 1902. It was built as a lookout point on the site of the former fish market and Buda walls, and today it is one of the most visited places in Budapest for its views over the Danube, the Parliament opposite and, behind it, the modern city of Pest. Next to it you can see and visit the Matthias Church, where the kings were crowned, with a beautiful roof with coloured mosaics. Founded in 1015, it received its neo-Gothic form at the end of the 19th century after being rebuilt according to the original medieval plans. Two reigning couples were crowned in this church, Franz Joseph I and Elisabeth, as well as Charles IV and Zita, the last emperor and empress of the Habsburg dynasty.
The Hungarian Parliament
Perhaps the best known postcard of the Hungarian capital, the imposing and immense Hungarian Parliament, the largest 19th century work of art in the city, with its 691 rooms. Its 202-metre-long façade overlooks the Danube River. Inaugurated in 1904, this neo-Gothic building was built to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of the arrival of the Magyar tribes from the Urals and the unification of the 39 counties by St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary. Among the most impressive features are the gigantic dome seen from the inside and, around it, statues of the kings of Hungary. A showcase displays the crown of Stephen I, which he received from Pope Sylvester II and with which he was proclaimed Apostolic King on Christmas Day in the year 1000.
The Liget Project
In the heart of Budapest, the Liget Project, a project that envisages the construction of a cultural quarter in Budapest’s largest and most iconic public park, the Municipal Park, is expected to be completed. It is the largest and most ambitious cultural and urban development in Europe, offering unparalleled cultural and leisure experiences for both the citizens of Budapest and travellers from all over the world.
Although the project is scheduled for completion later this year 2022, visitors can already enjoy what Hungarians used to know as the Olof Palme House, reconstructed and restored under the name of the Millennium House. This amazing building has a colourful Renaissance-style façade made of Zsolnay porcelain and houses a cultural centre and a restaurant inside.
Another monument to visit is the new House of Hungarian Music, located in the heart of the city park by the lake in Városliget. This spectacular building, by the architectural studio Sou Fujimoto, has attracted international attention since its inauguration, thanks to its distinctive floating roof inspired by the waves of the sea and the surrounding nature.
Thanks to this mega-investment, a crown jewel will be born for Budapest, which will become the capital’s must-see magnet for locals and visitors alike. The uniqueness of this magnificent project lies in its ability to bring together the best of two worlds without compromise: the renovated Városliget Park will be a green oasis in the middle of the city, offering unparalleled leisure+cultural experiences for both Budapest citizens and tourists from all over the world.
The Müpa
A venue of breathtaking architecture and beauty, Müpa is one of Hungary’s best-known cultural brands and one of the most modern cultural institutions, bringing together the various branches of art in a unique way: space for classical, contemporary, light, jazz and world music, opera, new circus, dance, literature and film.
Müpa was established in 2005 to provide high quality cultural events to a wide and very diverse audience of the above genres. The basic task of the institution, while respecting Hungarian and European artistic traditions, is to present and make understandable new directions and trends, to create a high-level experience that is acceptable to both the gourmet and the general public.
The opening of Müpa, the leading cultural institution in Budapest and Hungary, was one of the most outstanding events in the cultural history of Hungary in the last hundred years. Müpa is a facility whose appearance, features, high-quality workmanship and 21st century technical background enable it to accommodate any high-quality large-scale production and can bring together a wide variety of arts in one place. The three main units of the complex, built over 28 months, are on the Danube side, the Ludwig Museum as an independent institution, the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall (1881-1945) in the middle and the Festival Theatre in the east wing, but the building also houses the rehearsals of the National Philharmonic.
The Franz List Academy of Music
Last but not least, we stop our journey at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, the only academy in the world founded by the pianist, composer, conductor and author himself, who established it in 1875.
Today the state-owned institution is housed in a 1907 building built by Flóris Korb and Kálman Giergl, considered a masterpiece of the Hungarian Secession. After various restoration works, it reopened its doors in 2013. The building also houses other institutions such as the Franz Liszt Memorial Museum (1811-1886), the Research Centre, the Kodály Institute and the Kodály Museum, dedicated to Zoltán Kodály (1982-1967), a true pioneer of contemporary Hungarian music and creator of the Kodály Method, which is still studied today in conservatories all over the world.
Among its many facets, the Academy continues to function as a prestigious University of the musical arts where many of its students and teachers have become leading figures in the musical performing arts of the 20th century. It is also an important performance venue, hosting more than 600 concerts a year by world-class musicians and ensembles from all over Europe.
Budapest, a city not to be missed and to be lost in its streets, its monuments and its history. A history that is being modernised by leaps and bounds and that is making the Hungarian capital one of the most beautiful metropolis in Europe.
