Budapest has always had a special place in my heart. When I first visted at the age of 12, I had many firts in this city. Here I learned how to skate on ice having my fair share of falling and getting bruises all over. When I left I also got a pair of roller blades to keep on practicing. It was also the place where I visited for the first time a real Zoo with elephants and seals. The Budapest Zoo is one of oldest in the world having opened 150 years ago. This first visit was more of a playgroung for a child, while for this second visit after 15 years I had completely new eyes, as a grown up who appreciates art and architecture.
Apart from being one of the most beautiful bridges on the Danube river, I remember being told my first ever suicide story on this exact place. The urban legend says that the lions of the Chain Bridge have no tongue. When on the inaguration day someone pointed out that the tongues were missing, the hungarian sculptor János Marschalkó jumped from the bridge in dispair. At 12 years old I was shocked to say the least, and have been thinking about the poor sculptor ever since. Later came wikipedia and I read that the lions do have tongues, but those can be seen only from above. So the sculptor didn’t kill himself after all.
You could climb up the castle walking through the hill, but why miss the opportunity to get on a 150 years old funicular and save your breath for Buda Castle visit where you can find the Hungarian National Gallery with its great exhibitions. During my visit the Chagall was on show.
The Hungarian capital is famous for its markets and the city was also awarded the prize as the best Christmas Market for 2013. Here you can find the best souvenirs, food specialties, wines and spirits. Kiss goodby your diet when you are in an Hungarian market because the food is delicious like the gulasch and Hungarian sausages called kolbász.
With its gothic architecture the parliaments is a must visit place with tours available everyday. You get the best view at dusk from the St.Stephen Basilica when the lights tun on and it is magically reflected on the Danub river. When I visted the Paliament building was undergoing renovations so unfortunately I couldn’t get inside.
I don’t like the Saints reliquary in the churches but I see they are an important part of the heritage . Inside St.Stephen’s Basilica I saw the right hand of the saint who was also the first king of Hungary who had the merit of converting the country to Christianity. The Basilica is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen, inside and outside. It is impeccably kept with its white marbles.
Our guide told us that the castle was build taking in consideration 7 other Hungarian castles , and copying most of the Hunyad castle of Transylvania that now is inside Romanian boarders. It was build to give back to the people something they had lost. I imagine that in the 19th century you’d start a war to get back a lost castle, in pure European fashion, instead of building an exact copy but for sure the Hungarian character is different.