The Buda Castle

At weekend there was a beautiful sunny day, so we went to hiking to the Buda Castle. This is one of the wonderful places in the hungarian capital. Lets see it:

 

Buda Castle (Hungarian: Budavári Palota) is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, first completed in 1265. In the past, it was also called Royal Palace (Hungarian: Királyi-palota) and Royal Castle (Hungarian: Királyi Vár).

Buda Castle was built on the southern tip of Castle Hill, bounded on the north by what is known as the Castle District (Várnegyed), famous for its Medieval, Baroque, and 19th-century houses, churches, and public buildings. It is linked to Clark Ádám Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge by the Castle Hill Funicular.

The castle is part of the Budapest World Heritage Site, declared in 1987.

 

The Great Rondella inside:

 

 

The Great Rondella outside:

View from the castle wall:

 

A gate from the Great Rondella:

The Mace Tower:

 

 

 

Ok, we're inside. Just walk with us through the pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

War and Peace - The monumental allegorical bronze statues of the War and the Peace are standing on the sides of the entrance to the Budapest History Museum. They are the works of Károly Senyey. Both War and Peace are represented by angels.

 

 

 

 

The Book of the Country:

 

Lions: Two pairs of lions guard the monumental gate leading into Lions Court. The four statues are the works of János Fadrusz from 1901. The animals standing on the outer side of the gate are menacing, while the inner ones are calm and dignified.

 

 

 

 

Matthias Fountain: (Mátyás kútja) – The spectacular fountain decorates the western forecourt of the palace. It shows a group of hunters led by King Matthias Corvinus together with hounds, a killed deer, Galeotto Marzio with a hawk, and Szép Ilonka with a doe. This group of people stands between fallen rocks with water running down into a basin. The fountain was made by sculptor Alajos Stróbl. The dead deer was modelled upon a majestic stag killed in 1896 by poachers in the forest owned by Stróbl. The damaged sculpture was restored after the war. Nowadays it is probably the most photographed object in the palace.

 

 

 

 

Monument of Prince Eugene of Savoy: The equestrian statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy stands on the Danube terrace, in a prominent position, high above Budapest. The Neo-Baroque statue was made by sculptor József Róna for the town of Zenta, but the town could not afford the price. The monument was bought in 1900 as a temporary solution until the planned equestrian statue of King Franz Joseph was completed. This never happened, so Prince Eugen remained on his plinth. The plinth is decorated with two bronze reliefs showing the capture of the earth-works in Zenta and the decisive cavalry charge in the Battle of Zenta in 1697.

 

 

View from the Danube terrace:

 

 

Fishing Children: The Fountain of the Fishing Children on the Danube terrace is the work of sculptor Károly Senyey from 1912. It depicts two children grappling with a fish. The fine workmanship of the fishing net is remarkable.

 

 

Turulbird (Turulmadár): The mythological Turul, high above the Danube, was made by Gyula Donáth in 1905. The plinth and the ornate Neo-Baroque rail (Gyula Jungfer's work) was seriously damaged during the siege of Buda, but they were restored in 1981, together with the broken coat-of-arms of the Kingdom of Hungary on the plinth.

 

 

Sándor Palace: The official residence of the President of the Republic of Hungary and the seat of the Office of the President of the Republic, both since January 22, 2003. Sándor Palace is the 37th biggest palace in present-day Hungary.

 

Ruins:

 

 

The Matthias Church: According to church tradition, it was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015. The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church of medieval Buda and the seventh largest church of medieval Hungarian Kingdom.

 

Fisherman's Bastion and the statue of Stephen I of Hungary:

 

 

 

 

And the last picture: The Castle District

 

It was already too dark, for fotography with my phone, so there are no more pictures. Walking in the Castle District is like a time travel. Back to the 19th century. You must see it if you visit Budapest.

 

   See you in Hungary!