Introduction

Hungary celebrated the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian State at the end of the last century. During the tumultuous thousand year history of Hungary and the Central European Region, rulers came and went and empires rose and fell, but Hungary's distinctive charms have never waned nor its welcome ever been less than genuine.

Budapest possesses a rich and fascinating history as well as a vibrant cultural heritage. Recognizing the unique value of its traditions it has managed to maintain its magic and charm, and is rightly known as the Queen of the Danube. It has also been called the City of Spas, as there are a dozen thermal baths complexes served by over a hundred natural thermal springs.

As one of Europe's truly great capital cities, Budapest is divided by the River Danube, with the city as much a natural geographical centre as it is the country’s transport hub. Covering an area of two hundred square miles and divided into 23 administrative districts, it is home today to a population of 1.8 million people. 
Flowing north to south through the centre of the city is the mighty River Danube. Buda and Óbuda, comprising roughly a third of the total, are situated mainly in the hills to the west, with sprawling Pest on the plains to the east. There are three islands – Óbuda Island, Margaret Island and Csepel Island – and nine bridges, two of which carry railway lines
 

  History and places to see

Budapest was settled by the Romans in the first century A.D. and despite the fact that they remained only a few hundred years, their influence can still be felt: they found the sun-drenched gentle slopes perfect for grape vines, and began what is now a huge viticulture industry. They also introduced modern architectural techniques (columns, stone, plaster, arches and so on), the remains of which can be viewed to this day. The Romans, famous for their love of baths, also made use of the abundant thermal springs that lie under the city: they created the very first public baths, a now world-famous feature of Budapest. During Roman times, Budapest was known as Aquincum. Today you can see the ruins of the garrison town in Aquincum Museum (III. district, Szentendrei út 139, HÉV Aquincum stop, Open: 9am-5pm Apr 15-30 and Oct 1-31, 9am-6pm May 1 Sep 30, closed Nov 1-Apr 14, Budapest Card accepted, Website:www.aquincum.hu). 
The ruins sit uncomfortably amidst the suburban sprawl and graffiti clad walls of the nearby HÉV station. The highlight of the museum is the reconstructed example of a 3rd-century water organ found at the site in the early thirties. Also of interest is the small amphitheatre right next door to the station.

The advantages of settling here were equally obvious at the time of the Hungarian Conquest. Some researchers say that the word is of Slavic origin, meaning stove or kiln, and refers to the natural warm springs found on and near Gellért Hill.
Today Gellért Hill is the perfect vantage point to view central Budapest. At the summit are the Liberation Monument and Citadella. The hill itself is named after Bishop Gellért who had been invited by St. Stephen to help convert pagan Hungarians to Christianity. As legend goes, in the wake of Stephen's death, Gellért met his untimely death after being toppled off the hillside in a barrel by militant heathens. His bronze statue (Gyula Jankovits 1904) stands on the spot where he was martyred. To reach the summit you can either climb the winding paths from the statue or Hotel Gellért, or catch a bus to the top. The panoramic views from the summit are unparalleled elsewhere in Budapest. Citadella (XI. Gellérthegy, Bus 27, Tram 18, Website: www.citadella.hu) way built by the Habsburgs in the middle of the 19th-century, the Citadella's hill top position was used to strengthen their hold over Buda's inhabitants after the failed War of Independence between 1848-1849. Since then, the building has been used as a prison camp and an anti-aircraft battery by German forces during World War II.
Still scarred by bullet holes, the building today houses a restaurant, café and a youth hostel while the area around the Citadella commands some of the most breathtaking views of the city. Just a short walk away is the statue of St. Gellért and the Liberation Monument.

The institution of kingship in Hungary was established by King Stephen I, who was later canonized. The three hundred year reign of the House of Árpád saw the country become increasingly westward-looking. His work of organizing the state and the church was embodied in the royal crown, which he received from Pope Sylvester II in the year 1000. The Hungarians’ most revered relic – the mummified right hand of Hungary’s first monarch-is placed in Saint Stephen’s Basilica (V.district, Szent István tér 33, Tel: 317 2859, Website: www.basilica.hu, Open (mass times): 7am-9am, 5:30pm-8pm daily, Metro: M3 Arany János utca/M3 Bajcsy-Zsilinszky u) In the Szent jobb kápolna (chapel of the Sacred Right). Saint Stephen’s Basilica is Budapest’s largest church, whose landmark dome can be seen from all over the city, was built in Classical style between 1851 and 1905. Designed by Jozsef Hild in 1845, work only began in earnest in 1851. However, Hild died before the project was complete, leaving the task of overseeing its construction to architect Miklós Ybl. During an inspection, Ybl was amazed to find that huge cracks had appeared in many of the building's outer walls. Less than a week after cordoning off the site, the church's vast dome tilted and collapsed. The remainder was also declared structurally unsound and demolished to make way for Ybl's neo-Renaissance design. The building, which was finally opened by Emperor Francis Joseph in 1906, also suffered terribly from allied bombing raids during World War II.

The name Buda came somewhat later, during the reign of King Béla IV. When Hungary was invaded and devastated by the Mongols (1241-1242), King Béla ordered new castles and fortresses to be built all around the country. He provided a good example, for he built the first Royal Palace in Buda on what from that time on become known as Castle Hill. It was also he who, in a gold-sealed letter of 1244, conferred privileges on the towns that enabled them to develop agriculture and trade. In the middle of the river you will find Margaret Island, named after the daughter of King Bela IV (1235-1270) who lived in a Dominican convent here during the 13th century. In between the two, contemporary records show that Margaret Island was home not only to several monasteries but also to a castle built by the crusaders. The 1½ mile long Margaret Island which is connected to both Buda and Pest by the Margaret and Árpád Bridges, is one of the most beautiful open spaces in the city. Visitors wanting to take time out from the noise and bustle of Pest will enjoy the serenity of the island's park, which was established over one hundred years ago (1869). The ruins of the convent can still be seen today on the island's east bank. A short distance away is the island's distinctive and colourful rock garden, which leads on to Szent Mihály templom, a 20th-century reconstruction of a 12th-century church. There are two public baths on the island - the first being the sprawling Palatinus strand, which can hold up to 20,000 people in the summer (with both cold/warm water pools and an artificial wave maker). The smaller Hajós baths to the south is named after Hungary's first Olympic gold medallist in swimming.

The succeeding House of Anjou brought expansion - into Poland, towards Dalmatia - and a great flowering of art and architecture. Buda became the royal seat around the turn of the fifteenth century under the rule of Sigismund of Luxembourg (1387-1437). New sections were added by the Angevin kings before a much larger Gothic palace was established under the reign of Sigismund of Luxembourg Considered even at this time to be one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe, and theRoyal Palace grew ever larger until its zenith was reached under King Matthias (ruled 1458-1490). The first Golden Age had begun under King Matthias, lauded for his fairness and justice, Hungary flourished. Pest also prospered at this time, and Matthias raised it to equal rank with Buda.
Widely seen as being one of the most extravagant, beautiful and important renaissance buildings of the time, nobleman, scholars and renaissance artists would journey here from all over Europe, encouraged (in no small part) by the prospect of receiving lavish treatment and hospitality from Queen Beatrice. 

Despite suffering only minor structural damage during the lengthy period of Turkish occupation, it was completely destroyed by the pan-European Christian army which liberated Buda in 1686. During the early part of the 18th century, work commenced on a much smaller Baroque Palace, although by 1779 its overall size had increased significantly. Less than a century later, the Palace was damaged again, this time during the 1848-49 War of Independence. The subsequent reconstruction work, which finished in 1904, more than doubled the size of the Palace from the original Gothic structure. Yet this was not the final episode in the Palace's turbulent history.
During World War II the building served as the command post for German occupying forces. In the final months of the war, the advancing Red Army besieged the Palace and, amidst fierce fighting, completely gutted the building. The present post war reconstruction, which includes Baroque and Gothic elements, now houses the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest History Museum and the National Széchenyi Library.
Nowadays the Royal Palace (I. Budavári palota, Várbus, Bus 16) dominates the southern skyline of the Castle District.

Hungarian National Gallery
(I Buda Palace, Wings B, C and D. Várbusz from Metro: M2 Moszkva tér, Bus 16, Open: Nov Mar 10am-4pm, Apr-Oct 10am-6pm Tue-Sun, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.mng.hu)
A real treat for art lovers, the Hungarian National Gallery houses a comprehensive collection of Hungarian works ranging from painting and sculpture in the 10th century, right through to the present day.
Housed in wings B, C, and D of Buda's Royal Palace, the gallery is made up of six permanent exhibitions. On the ground floor, the exhibition opens with displays of stone objects discovered during the post-war reconstruction of the Royal Palace. The most prominent and important being the sculpture depicting King Béla III's head which dates back to around 1200 AD. A second section is made up of Gothic and Renaissance artifacts collected from various regions around Hungary. Highlights include the lavishly decorated 15th and 16th century winged altarpieces (of which the wonderful St. Anne's is the most elaborate).
Some of the most important 19th and 20th century paintings in Hungary make up the remainder of the collection. Highlights are Gyula Benczur's depiction of The Recapture of Buda Castle in 1686 and László Hunyadi's Farewell along with paintings by the country's most revered artist Mihály Munkácsy which include Dusty Road, The Yawning Traveller and Woman Carrying Brushwood. More recent works by 20th century artists such as Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry and Lajos Gulácsy complete a rich, diverse collection. 

National Széchényi Library (Országos Széchényi Könyvtár)
Buda Palace, Wing F, Várbusz from Metro M2 Moszkva tér, Open 10am-4:30pm, Mon Tue, 10am-6pm Wed-Fri, Website: www.oszk.hu
Taking up several floors of the Royal Palace, this vast library is a centre for scholars, students and anyone else wanting information on Hungary. Every book published in the country is catalogued and placed here, along with a mind boggling collection of journals, newspapers and archive documents. So long as you bring suitable ID (preferably a passport) the librarians (some of whom speak English) are happy to oblige. 

Historical Museum of Budapest
(Budavári Palota E Épület, Várbusz, Bus 16, Open: 10am-6pm daily, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.btm.hu)
Charting the history of both the Royal Palace and Budapest, the museum's permanent exhibitions give an insight into the medieval cities of Buda and Pest, along with displays of Gothic sculptures and remains from archaeological excavations.

Turul Statue (Turul Szobor)
(I. Szent Gyorgy tér, Várbusz, Bus 16)
Turul statue was cast by Gyula Donath in 1905, situated next to the upper terminal of the Budavári Sikló. This mythical Hungarian eagle, cast in bronze with wings outstretched, is said to have sired Álmos the father of Árpád, who led the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin in the 9th century.

Statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy
(I. Budavári palota, Várbusz, Bus 16)
Statue of Eugene of Savoy, commander of the army that liberated Hungary from Turkish rule in 1686, overlooking to River Danube. The story goes that the statue, which was originally commissioned by the townsfolk of Zenta, lay unfinished until Alajos Hauszmann (who had been given the task of enlarging the palace) persuaded King-Emperor Franz Joseph to raise funds to secure its future along this part of the Castle wall.

Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya)
(I. Buda Castle District, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér, M2 Batthyány tér, Várbusz -Castle Bus) 
The Fishermen's Bastion (designed by Frigyes Schluek) is made up of seven round towers - each one symbolising the seven Hungarianr tribes that effectively gave rise to the nation a thousand years earlier.
Almost fairytale like in appearance, its decorative white rampart and flowing staircases stretch alongside the eastern front of the Mátyás Templom. According to tradition, the area directly behind the church housed a local fish market during medieval times - hence the name of the Bastion. During the 18th century, the Guild of Fisherman are also said to have traditionally defended this part of the castle wall.

Holy Trinity Column (Szentháromság Szobor)
(I. Szentháromság tér, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér, Várbusz -Castle Bus) 
The column, which stands in the centre of Szentháromság tér (Trinity Square) was built by Buda's Council in the early part of the 18th century to serve as a lasting memorial to those who died in the devastating plague of 1691.At the foot of the column, the biblical King David is depicted praying for an end to the plague, while on the main body a multitude of saints and cherubs can be seen under the golden Holy Trinity.The square itself, which used to be a market place in medieval times, is the highest point of Castle Hill.

The Matthias Church (Mátyás Templom)
(I. Szentháromság tér 2, Varbusz, Open daily 9am-5pm, Website: www.matyas-templom.hu)
At the very heart of Buda's Castle District is the Mátyás Templom, officially named as the Church of Our Lady, it has been popularly named after King Matthias Corvinus (Good King Mátyás) who ordered the construction of its original southern tower. In many respects, the 700 year history of the church serves as a symbol (or perhaps a reminder for Hungarians) of the city's rich, yet often tragic history. Not only was the church the scene of several coronations, including that of Charles IV in 1916 (the last Habsburg king), it was also the site for King Mátyás' two weddings (the first to Catherine of Podiebrad and, after her death, to Beatrice of Aragon).
Any Hungarian historian of note will tell you that the darkest period in the church's history was the century and a half of Turkish occupation. The vast majority of its ecclesiastical treasures were shipped off to Pozsony (Bratislava) and following the capture of Buda in 1541. The church spent life as the city's main mosque. To add insult to injury, ornate frescoes that previously ordained the walls of the building were whitewashed and interior furnishings stripped out.
Although following Turkish expulsion in 1686 an attempt was made to restore the church in the Baroque style, historical evidence shows that the work was largely unsatisfactory. It was not until the great architectural boom towards the end of the 19th century that the building regained much of its former splendour. The architect responsible for this work was Frigyes Schulek.
Not only was the church restored to its original 13th century plan but a number of early original Gothic elements were uncovered. By also adding new motifs of his own (such as the diamond pattern roof tiles and gargoyles laden spire) Schulek ensured that the work, when finished, would be highly controversial. 

Funicular (Sikló)
(I. Clark Ádam tér, Bus 16, 86, 105, Tram 19, Open: 7:30am-10pm daily. Closed for maintenance every second Monday) 
By far the most tranquil way of ascending Castle Hill to the Royal Palace is the Sikló. Originally opened in 1870, its main function was in providing cheap transport for local workers. Fortune has, however, not always favoured the two little cable cars. Wrecked by German shelling in 1945, the Sikló was left in a state of disrepair until being fully restored in 1986.Today's replica carriages, which use electricity rather than steam power, complete the steepascent to Szent György tér in just under one minute.

Labyrinth/Catacombs of Buda Castle (Budavári Labirintus)
(I. Úri utca, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér, Várbusz, Bus/16, Open 9:30am-7.30pm Mon-Sun, Budapest Card accepted, Website: www.labirintus.com)
The labyrinth of caves and tunnels which stretch for over 10 kilometres beneath Castle Hill are said to have been joined together by the Turks during the middle ages for military purposes. In the 17th century, parts of the catacombs were used to store wine. More recently, the immediate area under Úri utca served as an air-raid shelter during World War II. Today, about 1.5 kilometres are open to the general public, with an area of the labyrinth set aside for a waxwork exhibition on early Hungarian history.

Mary Magdelene Tower (Mária Magdolna Torony)
(Országház utca/Kapisztrán tér, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér, Várbusz -Castle Bus) 
Today, all that remains of the 13th-century Franciscan church which once stood here is the Mary Magdelene Tower. Both the chancel and nave of the church were destroyed during allied bombing raids in World War II and although the tower itself is largely a post-war reconstruction, the building has a rich turbulent history. For a short time, under Turkish occupation, it continued to hold Christian services, with Protestants using the nave and Catholics the chancel. Eventually, it too was converted into a mosque, although following the expulsion of the Turks in 1686 it reverted back to a church in which Franz I was crowned here in 1872. Later on it served as the garrison church for men stationed at the neighbouring army barracks.

Vienna Gate (Bécsi Kapu)
(I. Bécsi Kapu tér, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér, Várbusz, Bus 16) 
Although the Vienna Gate that stands today is a replica of the 16th century original, it nonetheless marks the traditional starting point to Budapest's Castle District. The historic importance of the gate is reflected even in everyday life, as a popular saying amongst parents of cheeky children is "your mouth is as big as the Vienna Gate.

Vienna Gate Square (Bécsi Kapu tér)
Despite being dominated by the huge National Archive building (Samu Pecz 1913-20), there are some fine examples of Baroque and Rococo architecture to heighten the appeal of the square at No's. 5 and 6 and 7. Most famous is the house at No.7 - the author Thomas Mann is said to have stayed here during several visits to Hungary between 1935-36.

Following the dire Hungarian defeat at the Battle of Mohács (1526) the Turks sacked and burned Buda under the leadership of Suleyman the First. Pest and Óbuda, too, suffered dreadfully as a result of the century and a half of Turkish rule that followed. The Turks did, however, build baths fed by the hot springshttp(www.spasbudapest.com/tartalom.php). Their cupolas appear on contemporary engravings, and of course some of them are still extant today – the most visible legacy of that period.
Famous urkish statue is the Tomb of Gül Baba, burial chapel of the muslim dervish and member of the Bektashi order who died in 1541 following the capture of Buda. Built between 1543 and 1548, the octagonal building now features a permanent display of religious items and Turkish rugs. A well known shrine for Muslims.
(II. Mecset utca 14, Bus 91, Open: 10am-6pm May 1-Oct 31 (closed Mondays), Budapest Card accepted, Website:www.btm.hu/Turbe/turbe.htm)

Buda was freed from Turkish rule on 2nd September, 1686, and so began the next period of development. It was the Austrians who came to Budapest's rescue: they liberated both Buda and the castle itself, sending the Turks into a full-scaleretreat. Nevertheless, this did not bring about a free Hungary; instead, the nation became a province of theHabsburg Empire. Many places outside the capital gained the right to hold markets, and there were social developments as well. A printing press was established in Buda by 1724, and in 1777 Empress Maria Theresa had the country’s only scientific university moved here from Nagyszombat (today Trnava in Slovakia), bringing with it an influx of learned tutors and youthful students. Emperor Joseph II later switched it from Buda to Pest, a move which promoted a big growth in Hungarian-language literature and in due course theatre, because up until that time the dominant language of culture in Buda had been German. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Kisfaludy Társaság, and the National Theatre together played a pivotal role in the social development of the city. This was also the age when newspapers started, among them the ground-breaking Pesti Hírlap founded by Lajos Kossuth. 

The first permanent bridge over the River Danube was constructed between 1839 and 1849 by the British engineers William Tierny Clark and Adam Clark– the Chain Bridge, today still the most recognizable symbol of the city – and the logical conclusion of that was the legislative unification in 1873 of Buda, Pest and Óbuda into one city – Budapest. It was from this date that the city’s expansion into a world capital really began.

On 7 April, 1848 King Ferdinand V. appoints the first independent and responsible Hungarian government led by Count Lajos Batthyány, and on 11 April assents to the laws adopted by the last feudal Diet. The Hungarian War of Independence started in September against Austria for her independence. After losing ground in 1848, in the spring of 1849 the new Hungarian Honved Army defeated Austria and liberated the country. The war was decided in the Summer of 1849 by a massive Russian intervention of 200000 troops on the Austrian side. In August 1849 Austria had finally defeated Hungary): thirteen Hungarian generals, and quite a few others, were executed, thousands were imprisoned, and thousands fled into emmigration.
The martyrs of the War of Independence are executed in Arad. As one of the most prominent figures in the uprising, Batthyány Lajos was immediately imprisoned after the revolt was crushed in Pest. Batthyány Eternal Flame, in Hungarian Batthyány Örökmécses, near Báthory utca commemorates Count Lajos Batthyány, the first prime minister of the independent Hungary (V. Báthory utca, Metro: M2 Kossuth tér).

The political Compromise between Hungary and Austria in 1867 led to the beginning of the industrialization of Budapest. All of a sudden the city began to prosper like never before. A Council of Public Works was formed, whose direction determined both the future shape and the enduring beauty of the city. The great boulevards were laid down – most notably Andrássy út and the körútak or ring roads – and the transformation of Budapest into a modern world class city truly began. There was an even greater impetus at the end of the nineteenth century as Hungary celebrated the millenary anniversary of Hungarian Conquest. The first continental Underground railway was built, the streets were paved, street lighting was introduced, the waterworks at Káposztásmegyer was constructed (it is still in operation today), and a public sewerage system was developed. The first trams appeared. 

It was during this boom that many of the fine buildings which are still famous today were constructed. The metro (the first on the continent) was completed and Andrassy Út (Andrassy Street) was created above it. Fine architecture became one of the city's trademarks. The railways were built, and, as with the major roads, they all radiate out from Budapest. 
Undoubtedly the brightest jewel on the Danube, present-day Budapest was created in 1873 from the separate towns of Buda, Pest and Obuda.

Hungary celebrated the Millennium of the Hungarian conquest of the Carparthian Basin in 1896. Heroes' Square (Városliget)VI. Dózsa Gyorgy út, Metro: M1 Hosök tere-was originally designed to symbolize the millennium. It is a vast and grandiose symbol of 19th-century Hungarian nationalism. An imposing 36-metre high column which supports the winged figure of the Archangel Gabriel (György Zala 1896) is encircled on its pedestal by statues of the seven conquering Hungarian tribal chiefs on horseback. Behind, are two semi-circular colonnades housing the statues of the most famous rulers in Hungarian history. The stone tablet in front of the main column, which on ceremonial occasions is guarded by soldiers, commemorates those who died for national freedom and independence. The square is flanked on either side by the Szépmüvészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) and the Mucsarnok (Palace of Art).City park includes the Vajdahunyad Castle and a small artificial lake, too. Vajdahunyad Castle (Vajdahunyad Vára, XIV. Metro: M1 Széchenyi fürdo, Trolleybus 70, 72, 75, 79, Bus, 4, 20, 30, 105) originally constructed in 1896 as a temporary exhibit for the Hungarian millennial celebrations, the castle proved so popular that it was eventually replaced with an identical permanent structure. There is the statue of Anonymous opposite the main entrance. Part of the building also now houses the city's Agricultural Museum.
As a popular area to stroll around, it's also near to a number of other attractions such as the Széchenyi baths, Heroes' Square and Vidam Park. The famous Gundel restaurant is also just a few minutes walk away.

The First World War saw Budapest emerge as the capital of a country only one third of its pre-war size. As the city continued to grow, neighbouring suburbs were absorbed into four new administrative districts.

The Second World War, however, had a catastrophic effect. Apart from the horrifying cost in terms of human casualties, the architectural splendour of the city was brought to ruin. Every one of the bridges over the River Danube was blown up by the retreating Germans. These the authorities managed to replace within four years, as work to rebuild the city progressed apace. 
There was a further administrative enlargement in 1950 when more neighbouring towns were absorbed; the city now comprised 22 districts (more recently this has become 23, as boundaries have been redrawn). The city’s buildings and transport network suffered afresh in the 1956 Uprising, but were again repaired. Large-scale building of blocks of flats took place in the 1960’s, followed by construction of two new Underground lines. The Lágymányosi Bridge, the new National Theatre and the National Concert Hall have all appeared since the fall of Communism.

The next big event in Budapest's history was the 1956 uprising. On October 23, a peaceful protest became violent after shots were fired. Thousands of people took to the streets, a new leader (Imre Nagy) was appointed, Stalin's statue was pulled down and the people were ecstatic. However, the Soviets would not tolerate this for long: they sent in troops and tanks, crushing the revolution and killing some 2000-3000 people. Many thousands more were arrested and the famous Hungarian brain-drain began with some 250,000 (mostly well-educated) people leaving the country to settle in the West. Many buildings around town still have pockmarked facades: these are the scars of 1956 and they are a telling reminder of those grim times.

Today a fine bronze statue commemorates the national hero, Imre Nagy, Prime Minister of Hungary, immediately prior to the 1956 uprising (V. Vértanúk tere, corner of Nádor/Vécsey/Báthory utca). Nagy, who had tried to introduce a more relaxed form of Communism in the country (pulling away from Soviet domination) took refuge in the Yugoslavian Embassy after the revolution had been crushed. Then, after being given false assurances of safe passage by the Soviets, Nagy was arrested as soon as he left the safety of the compound. Tried and executed two years later (and quietly buried in an unmarked, overgrown corner of the main Budapest cemetery) Nagy's body was finally exhumed - and given a full state burial - following the country's move to parliamentary democracy in 1989. 

1989 was a true headline year for Budapest and Hungary. Troops began dismantling the fence separating the nation from Austria, while Gorbachov watched silently from Moscow. In Budapest a statue of Lenin was removed, and in June a crowd of a quarter million people attended a ceremony at Heroes' Square for the reburial of Imre Nagy. By 1991, there were no more Soviet troops in Hungary and only seven years later the country became a member of NATO. 

Certainly, since the move to parliamentary democracy in 1990, Budapest has witnessed rapid change. Sizeable investment from the west, coupled with a greater choice of goods and services means that daily life is now little different to any other major city in Europe. Of course, this leap into a "brave new world" has also brought problems too. A widening gap between rich and poor, rising house prices, organised crime and graffiti arguably being of most concern.

Today, Budapest is quickly reclaiming its rightful place as one of Europe's most beautiful and scenic cities. The Pearl of the Danube is once again on full display.

 
 

Post offices are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.(www.posta.hu)
The two Head Post Offices near Budapest’s main railway stations are open longer as follows:
VI. Teréz krt. 51 (near the Western (Nyugati) Railway Station): Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. 
VIII. Baross tér 11. (Eastern (Keleti) Railway Station): Mo-Sa: 7 am - 9 pm, Su: 8-8pm.

All post offices offer encashment facilities for VISA, VISA Electron, Eurocard/Mastercard, and Maestro cards, as well as for Eurocheques and American Express traveller’s cheques and postal orders.

 

Medical assistance
 

24-hour medical assistance
Falck SOS Hungary. Tel: 200-0100

24-hour dental assistance: Tel: 267-9602
Ambulance: 104
Police: 107
Fire service: 105
Inland enquiries: 198
Universal enquiries: 197
International enquiries: 199
Autó club-help number: 188
Speaking clockk: 180
Emergency service: 112 
Tourinform telephone enquiries: 438-8080

You should report the loss of your passport to the following authority: 
Budapest and Pest County Directorate of the Office for Immigration and Citizenship 
Address: 1117 Budapest, Budafoki út 60. 
Telephone: 463-9165 
463-9181 
Open: 24 hours

If your passport is stolen, you must report the loss to the local district police headquarters.

The Budapest Police Command has a round-the-clock service in the centre of town: Tourist Police (Budapest V. Vigadó u. 6)

Budapest’s pharmacies (gyógyszertár in Hungarian) are well stocked and can provide medicaments for most common ailments. The location of the nearest all-night chemist is displayed on the door of every pharmacy.

All-night pharmacies in the downtown:

• Szent Margit Gyógyszertár 
II. kerület, Frankel Leó út 22. 
• Teréz Gyógyszertár 
VI. kerület, Teréz krt. 41. 
 

 Post offices
 

 Money exchange

All visitors are advised to exchange currency only at accredited places. It is both risky and illegal to attempt to do so in the street. The majority of banks have 24-hour ATM’s some of which can also exchange foreign currency. Individual banks and travel agencies are free to set their own rates (based on those advertised by the Hungarian National Bank) but they must be clearly displayed. It is advisable to keep records of currency exchange transactions until leaving the country. Rates offered at bureaux de change in the city centre and near the main railway stations are generally better than those available in the banks, at the airport and in hotels. The Hungarian currency is the forint. There are coins to the value of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 forints, and notes for 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 forints.

 

Market Halls

Central Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) (V. Vámház körút 1-3.) In olden times this most famous of market halls was connected to the River Danube by a tunnel so that goods could be directly offloaded from barges and taken inside to the stalls for sale. Upstairs is a stunning – although sometimes pricey – range of folk art inspired goods.

Hold utca Market (V. Hold utca 13.) Like a jewel in the centre of Pest, quite close to the Parliament. 

Klauzál tér Market (VII. Klauzál tér) In the centre of the old Jewish Quarter.

Batthyány tér Market (I. Batthyány tér 5.) This, the only one in Buda, was lovingly restored in 2003. Upstairs are shops, a nice café and a fantastic view over one of the city’s finest squares and across the River Danube towards the Parliament.