A Hungarian Tale - The Checkup

“It was the year 1890 in Budapest when Count Szechenyi was waiting to cross the frozen Danube to attend his Father’s funeral. Having waited a week and with time in the meanwhile to ruminate upon the problem, he decided to build the first of many bridges”

In the process, he commiserated with another visionary, Newton who said

“We build too many walls and not enough bridges”

-Issac Newton

A few months back, I went on a tour to explore some of the cities of Central Europe such as Prague, Vienna, Czechoslovakia but the city that stole my heart was Budapest. Perhaps, because Budapest, the capital city of Hungary can boast of having faithfully followed Newton’s words. The city which is bisected by the River Danube is dotted by multiple, beautiful, mesmerising and architecturally diverse bridges joining two halves of the city. For me, these bridges are the city’s most defining and alluring characteristic. They draw you in from first sight and as you pass them by while you traverse the city exploring its sights and sounds, your eyes are repeatedly drawn in admiration to them.

Chain bridge at night

Budapest is actually an amalgamation of two regions Buda, the hilly region of the city and Pest, the flatter plains separated by the river Danube, hence the need for bridges to facilitate travel from one area to another. There are a total of 8 main bridges joining these two areas, the oldest among them is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge which is supported by iron chains and two classic piers making it one of the most attractive sights in the city, especially when it is illuminated at night. It was built by Count Szechenyi as the first permanent link, between Buda and Pest in 1890 when he had to wait a week to attend his father’s funeral due to the River Danube freezing over in winter.

Other striking bridges in the city include the Elizabeth bridge, Margaret bridge and Liberty bridge. Another fascinating tidbit regarding the history of the Budapest’s bridges is that many of them including the iconic Chain bridge were destroyed by the Soviet and Romanian troops towards the end of World War II. The bridges as they stand today, have actually been rebuilt with some retaining their original form while others have been modernised. They are testimony to the resilience of humans and to the fact that everything which is broken can be and should be fixed. A boating cruise by night across the Danube is the best way to appreciate their beauty and that is one of the first things I did on visiting the city.

Hungarian Parliament House

The city also has a lot more to explore besides its bridges and one of the easier and pocket-friendly ways to visit the different tourist spots of the city is by taking a ticket of the Hop on Hop Off buses which cover most of the city. The St.Stephen’s Basilica is the largest cathedral of Budapest. The cathedral has a 96 m dome which is equivalent to the dome of the Hungarian Parliament House. In fact, there is a stipulation in the city that no other building in the city can mirror or outdo these dimensions as they have been kept the same to symbolise the balance between the church and the government that exists in the country. While a stroll inside the cathedral, will give you a glimpse of some beautiful paintings and neo-classical architecture, a visit to the observation deck at the top of the church will provide you with a panoramic view of the city.

Another must-visit spot in the city is the Gellert Hill situated on the banks of the Danube on the Pest side of the city. The hill is

View from Gellert Hill

crowded with charming residences belonging to officers of the government and embassy. At the top of the hill, you will find the Citadella which offers one of the most panoramic views of the city. It needs to be visited both during the day and at night to appreciate the beauty of the city illuminated and in natural light. Atop the hill, is also situated the Liberty statue built in honour of the Soviet soldiers which liberated Hungary from Nazi occupation. The spot is of sentimental significance to all Hungarians.

The Buda Castle situated on Castle Hill is another reminder of the strife suffered by the Hungarians and their resilience and desire to fight the circumstances. The castle has been burnt and destroyed multiple times throughout history with the last attack on it happening as late as the 1940s during World War II. Consequently, for the Hungarians, the original castle architecture was a reminder of the earlier regimes they had suffered through and hence when the castle was built it was thoroughly modernised but a tour of its interiors and grounds is a must. An exciting way to reach the castle is to take the Castle Funicular train which is a steep and rollercoaster ride.

While these and many other such monuments across the city are meant for the historically and art inclined tourists, there is also something for those looking to unwind on their vacations. The Szechenyi thermal baths located in a Turkish bath are the oldest medicinal baths in Hungary and are supplied by two thermal springs. They offer luxury spa treatments, saunas and massages meant to relax tired bodies and minds.

Enjoying a Hungarian Meal

Another way to unwind in the evenings is to visit restaurants offering a traditional Hungarian meal accompanied by entertainment in the form of dancers performing the traditional Hungarian folk dances. The schnitzel, which is a piece of meat fried in fat is one of the popular foods in this region and is available at times in a vegetarian version as well at restaurants.

These are some of the sights of Budapest that captivated me, there are many others, the list can just go on and on. Atleast, a 4 to 5-day stay in the city is recommended to enjoy a detailed tour of the city. For me, the city will forever be a reminder that in a world which is again slowly being torn apart by hate, anger and strife, we need to break down the communication walls slowly rising all around us and built bridges instead and no matter how many times you may have to rebuild these bridges, don’t ever give up!