
HUNGARY - Budapest
Location - Eastern Europe; Capital - Budapest; Population - 10 million; Currency - Hungarian Forint
The overnight train ride from Sighisoara in Romania to Budapest takes around 12 hours - April 2012.
A 1000 Forint note
As soon as I arrived I headed for Gellert Hill to take in the views of Budapest
At the top of Gellert Hill is the Liberty Monument, dedicated to the Soviet soldiers who died liberating Hungary in 1945 - Budapest
The Liberty Monument and Gellert Hill - Budapest
The climb is rewarded with fantastic views of the city: Buda on the left, the River Danube and Pest on the right - Budapest
The green domed roof belongs to the Royal Palace, situated on Castle Hill - Budapest
Just visible at the far end of the River Danube is Margaret Island - Budapest
Pest has plenty of hotels, shops, bars and restaurants - Budapest
To the right are the dome and spires of St Stephen's Basilica - Budapest
Looking back to Gellert Hill while crossing the Danube via Elizabeth Bridge - Budapest
The 19th century Great Synagogue is in the Jewish quarter of the city in Pest - Budapest
Within the grounds of the Great Synagogue is a weeping willow sculpture known as the Memorial of the Hungarian Jewish Martyrs - Budapest
A chapel in St Stephen's Basilica is said to contain the mummified right hand of St Stephen - Budapest
Deak Ter is a central square in Pest where the metro lines link and many city as well as tour buses start and finish - Budapest
The much pilloried East German car the Trabant is parked in Memento Park - Budapest
Memento Park is a dumping ground for communist statues from the Soviet era.
This is a copy of the boots belonging to a massive Stalin statue pulled down in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution - Budapest
This huge Red Army soldier used to stand beneath the Victory Monument on Gellert Hill - Budapest
Memento Park is on the western outskirts of Budapest
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin sits in Memento Park - Budapest
The 1976 Workers' Movement Memorial - Budapest
The Republic of Councils Monument is a giant charging sailor built in 1969 - Budapest
Take the funicular railway (called the Siklo) or climb lots of steps to Fishermen's Bastion and the peak of Castle Hill in Buda - Budapest
A converted restaurant at Fishermen's Bastion - Budapest
There's a series of café-restaurants on the city walls at Fishermen's Bastion - Budapest
Behind Fishermen's Bastion is a statue of the first Hungarian king, St Stephen who's taking a look at Matthias Church - Budapest
The cobbled streets of Buda - Budapest
The construction of the Royal Palace, or Buda Castle, began in the 13th century - Budapest
Much of the medieval building was destroyed in the 17th century. Today's building is a 20th century reconstruction - Budapest
Opposite Castle Hill on the Danube riverfront is the mighty Parliament building - Budapest
A covered arcade close to the Szechenyi Chain Bridge river crossing - Budapest
Vaci Utca, a pedestrian zone in Pest, is loaded with bars, restaurants and shops - Budapest
Vaci Utca opens out into Vorosmarty Ter, a square with more open-air bars and restaurants - Budapest
It's a bustling area for both locals and tourists, with the emphasis on the latter - Budapest
A dusk view of the Royal Palace from Pest - Budapest
Szechenyi Baths are a famous thermal baths complex situated in City Park - Budapest
Thermal baths and pools, massage therapies, saunas and various treatments are on offer at Szechenyi Baths - Budapest
City Park has a boating lake (a skating rink in Winter) and a large recreational area - Budapest
In the centre of City Park is Vajdahunyad Castle - Budapest
Vajdahunyad Castle dates back to 1896 - Budapest
Close by is Heroes' Square, where the original statue of Stalin stood (see earlier). Demonstrations against the communist regime often took place here - Budapest
Terror House was the headquarters of both the Hungarian Arrow Cross Party, allied to the Nazis, and subsequently the communist secret police, the AVH - Budapest
Terror House is now a museum dedicated to victims of dictatorial regimes - Budapest
Website and content Copyright © 2008-2013 Mark Wilkinson. All rights reserved.
LINKS
www.budapestinfo.hu - Official Budapest toursit board
www.budapest-tourist-guide.com - 'Tips from locals'
www.budapest-card.com - The Budapest Card provides travel and entry discounts
I am not responsible for the content of external websites.
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