Beguiled by Buda

Budapest, Hungary

June 7, 2025

Along a gentle bend in the Danube lies the city of Budapest, split into two by the river. I walk along the east bank and look out to the west. Across the river is a long ridge, just high enough to afford good views all along the banks. This is Buda and Castle Hill as it is called is dotted with many of the older historical buildings of this city.

The roofs tantalize as I walk and I come to the Chain Bridge with its lions on guard. Teeming with traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, I bide my time to take photos and join the throng to walk over to Buda.

Going straight up the slope next to the tunnel is the Buda Funicular ferrying passengers. Built in 1870 to connect the Danube to the Buda Castle, it has the boxy, wooden old-world charm and even though the ride is barely a few minutes, I enjoy it.

We tumble out at Buda Castle with its tall imposing gates leading down to a fountain and courtyard. Most of the baroque structure built in the 18^th century was rebuilt in a simplified baroque style after suffering heavy damage during World War II. The renovations continue and most of the surrounding buildings hide under scaffolding. The castle lies empty except for some of the museums housed here. The statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy sitting astride a horse in the front is also of recent vintage, from the 20^th century. In the rear is a high arched entryway giving onto a vast courtyard. Next to it is the Hungarian version of the Trevi Fountain of King Matthias at a hunt.

More than the castle itself, it is the sweeping views of the Danube and of Pest to the east that forms a near-continuous crowd at the ramparts. Of course the mandatory selfies and the requisite posing means waiting ages for a shot. But the view is more than worth it.

I follow the throngs as we walk north past buildings renovated beautifully. And gasp. The Holy Trinity Square is in front of me with the Trinity Statue in the form of a pillar squarely in the middle. But what takes my breath away is the Saint Matthias Church immediately next to it. Originally of a a Romanesque design, extensive restoration in the 19^th century is responsible for the lavish neo-Gothic style. It is utterly beautiful. The patterned roof tiles in particular are distinctive and I can barely tear my eyes away.

A tale adds to the lure. The church had been converted to a mosque during the Ottoman times since 1541 and many of the walls had been plastered over. In 1648 when Christian forces were fighting to reclaim the church, one of the walls fell under assault revealing a statue of the Madonna. The men were at the prayers inside at the time. So demoralized were they that the city fell the same day, so the story goes.

Just across the square is yet another building that beguiles. With its lace-work towers it looks like it might have an older history but this is recently reconstructed. After standing mutilated for decades, this is the Royal Hungarian Ministry of Finance. I mentally doff my hat to the minds at work in the city for not constructing a concrete box.

I walk down the street, past the Post Office where a post box of old times stands in freshly painted grandeur. Past buildings I walk with wrought iron window grills and balconies, past St Mary Magdalene church with yet more of the patterned roof tiles, past the north castle gate and turn back to east of St. Matthias Church.

A statue of King Saint Stephen I atride a horse sits next to the turrets of Fishermen’s Bastion. Built in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, these were built in medieval style to commemorate 1000^th anniversary of the Hungarian nation. The seven turrets signify the seven cheiftains who joined forces to form the nation. But where do the fishermen come in?

Here too a tale winds its way from the past. The original walls date from the 1700s and the accepted story is that in the Middle Ages this part of the wall was defended by a guild of fishermen who lived under the walls. The turrets wind along the wall and the archways frame views of the Danube and the east bank. The skies have started spitting rain and the wind rushes at me. I decide not to wait for the perfect shot and scurry on down.