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Budapest is dominated by the River Danube and it's bridges. The city was heavily destroyed during the last war but much, including the castle complex, has been sympathetically restored to something like it's former glory. |
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The many bridges that span the river make going between Buda and Pest very easy. |
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As we wandered around the streets the delicious aromas of hungarian cuisine would waft in the air leading us into temptation. And those coffee houses with their delicious coffee and cakes.... |
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| Public transportation was well integrated and we used it quite a bit as it was free for seniors. But one of the joys of Budapest is it's narror streets and we enjoyed the exploring |  |
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| The castle complex is simply massive. Started after the Mongol invasions in the 14th century the castle was destroyed during the Ottoman rule of Budapest between 1541 and 1686 and rebuilt in the baroque style in the early years of the 18th century. It was destroyed again during the Hungarian revolt in 1849, rebuilt again and then severely damaged in the second world war only to be rebuilt in the 1950's. | 
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| Taking the funicular from the river to the castle was a short but memorable experience and afforded great views. Today the Castle, which is often called the Royal Palace, is home to a number of cultural institutes, including the National Library and two museums: the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest Historical Museum. Further along there is the Fisherman’s Bastion: the ideal place to admire the entire city of Budapest. The building was built to replace an ancient fort, while its seven towers symbolize the seven tribes that settled in the region. At the center of the Bastion there is the St. Stephen’s Statue. And next to that is Matthias Church: the jewel of Budapest. It was built in the 13th century in Gothic style, and has been restored several times. |  |
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