City on the banks of the blue Danube
Through the plains of Europe, the blue Danube freely carries its waters. Many beautiful cities are spread on its banks, but only one of them is known throughout the world as the pearl of the Danube. This is Budapest. On the geographical maps of the world, Budapest appeared in 1873, when three cities: Buda, Obuda and Pest, merged into one. The architectural ensemble of Budapest was formed mainly in the XIV - XX centuries. A number of buildings and monuments were erected at the end of the 19th century. - on the eve of the celebration in 1896 of the millennium of finding their homeland by the Hungarians. These are the Parliament buildings, the Fisherman's Bastion, the art gallery. At the same time, the Vajdahunyad Fortress was built - an ensemble of 21 buildings, demonstrating Hungarian architectural styles from the Romanesque era to the Baroque. The name "Vaidahunyad" comes from the name of the former possession of the noble Hunyadi family in Transylvania. Our acquaintance with the city began with the Heroes' Square in the center of which stands the monument to the Millennium of Hungary. The square is impressive in its size, on the left the Heroes' Square is limited by the building of the Museum of Fine Arts, on the opposite side of the square there is the Exhibition Hall, the Museum of Modern Art, if you walk 200 meters behind it there is the world's largest Hourglass. Behind the Geroev Square is the City Park, the Szechenyi Bath, and opposite the park is the Vaydahunyad Fortress. We were in Budapest during the weekend, it was hot over 30 degrees and how rarely it is free on the roads, and the people of Budapest went to rest, i. e. we were lucky. The visiting card of Budapest is the building of the Parliament, the most beautiful of the parliaments in Europe, the construction of which began in 1885 and was fully completed in 1904. Inside it is very beautiful, but we did not manage to get there on an excursion. On the other side of the Danube, almost opposite the Parliament, is the Fisherman's Bastion, which offers a beautiful panorama of the city. In the courtyard of the bastion there is an equestrian statue of King Stephen I. A little higher is the Matyasha Church, but at that time it was under restoration - all in scaffolding. We go down Tarnok Street to the Royal Palace, which, although it suffered the most during the Second World War, was restored - it amazes with its beauty and rises above the Danube bank. Below, the Chain Bridge, built in 1849, is a marvel of its time, its structure hanging from huge iron chains. Further, the largest church in Budapest - St. Stephen's Basilica, where you must visit - amazes with its luxury, it keeps the main relic of the Hungarian church - the Holy Right Hand of King Stephen. At that time, a folklore festival was taking place on St. Stephen's Square in front of the Basilica - a group from Ukraine performed. Budapest should be given a few days, but our way further to Lake Balaton.
