Budapest, Hungary – The Paris of Eastern Europe
by: Rick Chapo
Located in Eastern Europe,
Hungary is diverse and beautiful country. The
undisputed treasure of the country is Budapest.
Budapest, Hungary – A Tale of Three
Cities
Over 2,000 years old,
Budapest is a large city containing traces of
the various forces that have ruled it over time.
Romans, Turks, Goths and many others have
conquered the city. Somehow, the various
influences work in such a way as to make the
city sparkle.
In a bit of trivia,
Budapest was historically considered three
cities. The three cities were Pest, Obuda and
Buda. Although grouped together, the cities were
naturally divided by the Danube River which
forks in the middle of the city. In 1873, the
three cities were combined into one and given
the Budapest name.
Although Budapest has more
attractions than could possible be covered in
one article, here are a few must see locations.
Buda Castle, Budapest
Hungary
Sitting on top of a hill
and towering over the Danube, the Buda Castle is
stunning. Construction started under the
guidance of King Bela IV in the 14th century and
was expanded upon by later rulers. Medieval
times, however, saw the castle burned, looted,
demolished, bombed with cannon balls and
ransacked. Each time, new rulers rebuilt.
Visiting Buda Castle is
like stepping back into the heights of the
renaissance. The Castle is adorned with red
marble stairways, gothic facades, bastions and
epic statutes overlooking the Danube. The
fountains around the Castle simply can’t be
described with words.
Spas
Budapest, Hungary sits over a
tectonic plate fault line, which usually is a
bad thing. In this case, however, the location
of the city corresponds with a plethora of hot
mineral springs. Enterprising Hungarians have
build spas on the springs and are open for
business. The spas are “over the top” with an
opera house feel. Floating around peacefully,
one feels like European royalty.
If you are traveling to
Europe, plan on devoting a week to Budapest. For
those in love with Prague, one visit to Budapest
may change your mind. |
