Budapest. Mount Gellert
The citadel was built by the Habsburgs in 1854, after the Hungarian democratic revolution of 1848-1849. The revolution was defeated, but the rulers preferred to secure the rear and build a reliable fortress. The first fortifications began to be built in 1850 according to the project of the engineer Emmanuel Sitt, and four years later the Austrian garrison was settled in the barracks. The citadel was the main strategic object to bombard both Buda and Pest in the event of a future uprising, but in its own way intended purpose she never served.
The citadel is a complex multi-tiered structure and has many secret passages, thanks to which one could be far beyond the mountains in different parts cities. To date, the citadel has been reconstructed, a museum is housed in a three-story bunker with an area of 750 square meters. wax figures and an exhibition featuring many archival documents and photographs.
The walled citadel is also often used for various exhibitions, so when we walked there various historical shots of Budapest were hung:
At the walls of the citadel there is a 40-meter-high Freedom Monument. It represents a female figure with a palm branch in her hands held high. The statue was created by the Hungarian sculptor Zsigmond Strobl Kisfaludy in 1947. Initially, the monument was called the Liberation Monument and there was still a Soviet soldier there, but in the early 90s the soldier was removed and renamed, but in general you need to know that the monument was originally dedicated specifically to the liberation of Hungary from the Nazis, hehe
There are also many interesting things inside the citadel, but we did not get there - everything was already closed at that moment. In general, the place itself is very popular for walking both among tourists and local residents, it is from here that the best viewing views of the city open (because the most high point Gellert Mountains):
On the third day of the next (3rd) visit to Budapest, my wife and I went for a walk around the city. Having passed along the Danube on the side of Buda, we ran into Mount Gellert. And of course, we climbed there on foot. In fact, you can go there by bus or tram, like all normal tourists, but we are not looking for easy ways. By the way, the climb was not very easy for me (although the height is only 220 meters). The paths go up winding, there are benches for rest.
Views of the Danube during the ascent.
The mountain is named after St. Gerard of Hungary (St. Gellert), who baptized the Hungarians, and was killed in a barbaric way: he was thrown from the aforementioned mountain in a barrel studded with nails and drowned in the Danube. (wiki)
On the mountain itself, in 1947, a monument was erected in honor of the Soviet army, liberation from the Nazi invaders. Initially, there was a woman and a Soviet soldier, and the names of 146 of our heroes were on the monument itself. In the early 90s, the soldier, the names and the star were removed. This is how the Hungarians get rid of the Soviet past ... The monument began to be called instead of the Liberation Monument - the Monument of Freedom.
The history of the capture of the city in the Second World War.
Interestingly, Hitler was afraid of losing oil refineries and small oil fields in Hungary. By the way, the only ones for that period in the entire Reich. Hitler knew that with the loss of Hungary, the Wehrmacht would lose fuel, and, consequently, all armored vehicles would simply stand up. Well, do not forget that Hungary was an ally of the Reich.
The offensive operation lasted from October 29, 1944 to February 13, 1945. Our troops (2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Front (Marshal R.Ya. Malinovsky and Marshal F.I. Tolbukhin) were opposed by the German-Hungarian garrison under the command of General Pfeffer-Wildenbruch (188 thousand people).Then the 4th SS Panzer Corps intervened. And only by bringing in our reserves (30th Rifle and 23rd Panzer Corps) we managed to contain the Germans. Already on December 26, our troops surrounded the group In Budapest, famine set in. In front-line units, rations had to be cut down to a serving of horse meat soup and about 150 grams of bread a day. royal castle, received only liquid stew. On January 29, on the day of the celebration in Germany of Hitler's coming to power, G. Himmler sent the so-called reinforced rations to the besieged with the help of aviation. Airdropped containers contained canned horsemeat, biscuits and cigarettes. But this did not help them, and in mid-February, in last days assault, only a few managed to escape from the encirclement.
The Red Army lost in this operation 320 thousand people, 1766 tanks and self-propelled guns (3rd place in terms of losses of personnel and tanks in the 1945 campaign, after the East Prussian and Berlin operations).
On June 9, 1945, the medal "For the Capture of Budapest" was established, which was awarded to 350 thousand people. 79 units and formations were awarded the honorary title "Budapest".
There is a version that initially it was “a monument to a crashed fascist pilot, so initially the woman was holding a propeller from an airplane in her hands. After the end of World War II, statues of Soviet soldiers were erected at its foot, and an ear of wheat was given into hands. I don't know who to believe...
At the very top of the mountain, after numerous shops with wartime paraphernalia, is the Citadel. It was built in 1850 by the Habsburgs (Austrians) to keep the Hungarian capital under constant threat and suppress uprisings. But it never served its intended purpose. At one time there was even a prison in it, and now a hotel.
In the center of the Citadel is the entrance to the bunker, which was built in 1942. It has many tiers, secret passages and consists of three floors and an area of 750 m2 with 17 rooms. Reinforced concrete structure. During the war, it served as an excellent air defense center, has excellent all-round visibility for shelling the area. It housed a hospital, an ammunition depot and barracks.
I did not find reliable information, but they say that it was not easy to knock the Nazis out of it.
“The firing points of the Citadel fired continuously at the Soviet troops who were trying to force the Danube. They could not knock out the SS men who held the defense in the Citadel either by shelling or by bombing. By the end of the assault on the city, seeing all the hopelessness of further resistance, the Nazis tried in small groups to leave the line of encirclement. However, the Citadel still remained one of the decisive nests of resistance. It was entrusted to take it to a detachment of marines, composed entirely of officers. One night, using mountaineering equipment, Soviet soldiers secretly climbed the steep slope of Mount Gellert, caught the Nazis by surprise and knocked them out of the Citadel in hand-to-hand combat.
The characters are represented by wax figures for realism.
Local support? Hungarians or Romanians?
In some places it looks like the famous Wolf 3d toy.
All sorts of military details are also presented.
Let's leave this dark place. At the top, a certain artifact is found. I suspect that this is a very ancient furnace.
And of course there are guns that probably fired at our troops.
Wonderful view of the Danube.
We go down the southern slope to the baths "Gellert".
At the end of the descent towards the baths "Geller" (Kelenhegyi út 2-4) (down to the right, if you look at the Danube) there is an entrance to the cave Catholic church, which we also visited. During socialism, the entrance was walled up for many decades. The church is active, services are going on in it.
The monument of St. Stephen stands opposite the entrance to the cave. In the Middle Ages, according to legend, the hermit Stephen lived here. He treated people with thermal water from a spring near the cave. Now this water is used for the Gellert baths. Stephen was later canonized, and the cave was named St. Stephen's Cave.
Church with a cross on top.
Something like that.
http://www.citadella.hu/ - site of the Citadel.
Get there by bus number 27 from Móricz Zsigmond krt.
Studying numerous guidebooks, we accidentally saw in one of them a photo of an amazing monument called "Buda meets Pest". Judging by the background behind the statue, it was taken somewhere around the Buda Castle. But none of the guidebooks said where it was. Early in the morning, we pestered the hotel staff (everyone just shrugged their shoulders and answered that they didn’t even know that such a monument exists here), then to the travel agency (same thing). And then we decided to peer into the photo and look for a place on the other side of the Danube from where the Buda Castle is SO visible.
Night Budapest
part 1 - The main bridges of Budapest and the Nagycharnok market
part 2 - Mount Gellert and the Citadel. Buda meets Pest
part 3 - City of funny monuments. Buda Castle
part 4 - Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion
part 5 - Fisherman's Bastion and Matyasha Church
part 6 - Obuda Turkish Quarter
part 7 - Roman ruins and girls with umbrellas
part 8 - Animated layout
part 9 - Heroes' Square - Andrássy Street - St. Stephen's Basilica
part 10 - Parliament
Part 11 - West Station - Jewish Quarter - Vaci Street
The beginning of the journey along the bend of the Danube - Szentendre
Liberty Bridge (Franz Joseph I) - Mount Gellert - Citadel
On the other side of the Danube is
The most beautiful spa in Budapest
In 1934, Budapest received the title of a resort city: this capital has the largest number of thermal and medicinal water sources. It is the only place in the world where 118 natural springs and artificial wells supply 70 million liters of thermal water every day.
In the Middle Ages, a hospital was built at the foot of Mount Gellert, and during the Turkish rule, a bathhouse. The current building of the hotel and the baths were built in 1918, then a pool with an artificial wave and a jacuzzi were built. Considered to be the most beautiful bath in Budapest, it retains its original Secession furnishings, stained-glass windows, mosaics, marble columns and statues. Now there is a whole bathing complex with a hydropathic and a hotel where members of royal families, famous politicians and artists stayed. This complex played an important role in the fact that Budapest was awarded the title of an international balneological resort.
Across the road from the hotel and the baths, the ascent to a small mountain begins, behind which a large mountain is visible - crowned with a female figure.
At the foot of the mountain, breaking through the rows of women selling embroidered towels, you will see monument to Saint Stephen, stylized as ancient statues.
Stephen I, Saint (975?-1038) - the first Hungarian king (1000-1038), crowned by a crown sent by the Pope. The founder of the Hungarian state, introduced the Hungarians to Christianity. In 1083 he was canonized as a saint. Saint Stephen's Day, August 20, is considered the day of Hungarian statehood. Monuments - at the Fisherman's Bastion and at the entrance to the church in the rock on Mount Gellert.
Opposite the monument is the entrance to the church in a cave inside the mountain. It is unexpectedly large and not at all dark and gloomy, as one might expect, but on the contrary - the holes in the ceiling give a lot of light.
Admission is free, but T-shirts and shorts are not recommended. Tourists are also prohibited from entering during services that take place 11-12, 16.30-18.30, 20-21.
Having made a little walk in the park at the top of the mountain, you can crawl along the numerous paths to the neighboring mountain, on top of which stands the Citadel. If you climb from the Erzhibet bridge, then along the way you will meet monument to Bishop Gellert, in the warm season, an artificial waterfall rushes down from it. Well, we'll look at it later, going down the mountain.
So what is Citadel. After the suppression of the Hungarian liberation movement in 1848-49. the Austrian emperor ordered the construction of a fortress on a dominant height above the city in order to control the city (the Hungarian press dubbed it the "Bastille on Mount Gellert"). During the Second World War, the Germans were firmly settled here, and it was hard to knock them out of there. Now inside the Citadel to tourists for 1200 ft. (the Budapest tourist card is not valid) they show the bunker and the panorama (our “Battle of Borodino” is better), and around the fortifications there are cannons of the Second World War.
Citadel - top view. Taken from wikipedia
View from the park
2005
The top of the hill is crowned with a huge monument of an aunt with a palm branch - freedom monument 14 meters high, built in 1947. After reading the guide, we found that this architectural masterpiece incomplete: until 1992, there was also a figure of a Soviet soldier, which was dismantled and taken to the museum under open sky, where all the monuments of the "communist regime" are stored.
From a height in clear weather it is good to survey the whole city.
Most the best views Buda fortress, IMHO, here. From here you can clearly see that this is a fortress.
From the parking lot where the tourist buses stand on the mountain, you should start going down, keeping the fortress in sight, and taking it a little to the left. We found a nice monument here 5 years ago, and most likely you will want to see it too. And then it was like this...
5 years ago
Studying the numerous guidebooks that we received from the travel agency and taken from the hotel, we accidentally saw in one of them a photograph of an amazing monument called "Buda meets Pest." Judging by the background behind the statue, it was taken somewhere around the Buda Castle. But none of the guidebooks said where it can be seen.
Early in the morning, we pestered the hotel staff (everyone just shrugged their shoulders and answered that they didn’t even know that such a monument exists here), then to the travel agency (same thing). And then we decided to peer into the photo and look for a place on the other side of the Danube from where the Buda Castle is SO visible. And found! Having circled the whole mountain, going around all the places where the Buda Castle is visible from exactly the angle that we need, we guessed to ask an aborigine with a dog, and she showed us the way. The monument is small, but very pleasant, and the view from this site is gorgeous.
A few meters from the "meeting" stands at least interesting monument: the most famous philosophers of the world are built in a circle. The figures are extremely mysterious and require a thoughtful and unhurried inspection, walking around. In the center on this visit, someone was lying in a layer, and around the healer-looking aunt in sweatpants, hung with amulets, was jumping and making passes with her hands. Probably a feng shui place :)
And now you can pass Gellert go down to the bridge Erzhibet.
According to legend, in 1046, the pagans, who raised an uprising against Christianity in Hungary, threw Bishop Gellert, who preached the ideas of Christianity among the people, from a rocky cliff overlooking the Danube. The mountain still bears his name.
Gellert, Saint (980-1046) - a monk of the Benedictine order, originally from Venice. From 1015 he was the mentor of Imre, the son of King Stephen, from 1030 he was a bishop. Killed during a pagan uprising.
Hungary, Budapest - March 2010
Mount Gellert is one of the most famous tourist places Budapest. Usually tourists visit the popular ones - the Citadel, the observation deck, the Statue of Liberty and the Gellert baths. In this article, we will present a walking itinerary that also includes other original, lesser-known sights of Mount Gellert. And for travelers with children, we will tell you about interesting local children's trailers. play parks sites.
Mount Gellert with the Statue of Liberty is visible from afar. The height of the hill is only 235 m. The mountain is named after the Catholic saint-martyr Gellert, who was killed here by the pagans. There is a monument to him here. At the top of the Habsburgs in the 19th century, the Citadel was erected with powerful walls. It is worth climbing here for the amazing panorama of the Danube, bridges and the entire capital of Hungary. The banks of the Danube and the urban landscape of Budapest are on the list world heritage UNESCO.
How to get to Mount Gellert:
By metro + on foot: going to The metro station Szent Gellert ter is further uphill on foot for 1.3 km. Opposite the Gellert baths (across the road) paths start up. There are paths with a steep ascent - a short path or other paths are longer, but more gentle and easy ascent. Walking route is on the map in the article below. First, you can go to the cave church at the foot of Mount Gellert.
By metro + bus: From Móricz Zsigmond körtér metro station (green line) to Gellert mountain, bus number 27 goes to the Búsuló Juhász (Citadella) stop. Drive 5 minutes.
The easiest option- go up to the Citadel by bus, and then, inspecting everything along the way, go down to the Gellert Bath.
By car: We were driving up GPS navigator across Szirtes út street (blue route on the map). Parking address near the Citadel: Budapest, Szirtes út 36,1016. Parking is paid using parking meters installed nearby.
On the map, two routes to the top of Mount Gellert are laid in blue and gray:
I really like maps in guidebooks. It is easy for independent travelers to navigate the area using them))) Here I have made for you, friends, my map of walking along Mount Gellert. We went down from the parking lot to the cave church, and then went back up. !!! Comfortable shoes and water (in summer) are very desirable)))
Itinerary for the Gellert Hill:
For your convenience, we have marked the main points of the route with numbers:
1 – parking + viewing platforms;
2 — Citadel, bunker-museum
3 - Statue of Liberty, panoramic platform.
4 – cave church
5 – Monument to Saint Gellert and waterfall
6 – Philosophical Garden and sculptural composition “Meeting of King Buda and Queen Pest”
7 and 8 points for little travelers. These are children's trailer parks - playgrounds with original slides, swings, and entertainment.
1 Parking and observation decks.
Our "Susanin" (GPS) successfully led to the parking lot. We paid for it at the parking meter and the first thing we did was a photo of Budapest from the height of Mount Gellert. There is an observation deck everywhere - a stunning view of the capital of Hungary))) The urban landscape on the banks of the Danube is world list UNESCO heritage. Amazing beauty! The spirit is captivating!
In 1873, the three cities of Buda, Pest and Obuda merged into one under the name of Budapest. In the photo on the left is the green hilly Buda. To the right of the photo is the flat administrative and business Pest, in the distance along the Danube you can see the buildings of the most ancient part of the capital of Hungary - Obuda. In the middle of the Danube is my favorite Margaret Island, a green oasis of peace and tranquility. 
We are in the background of Budapest)))
Here is such a hilly and green elite Buda. Fortress Hill - at a glance: Royal Palace, St. Matthias Cathedral, Fisherman's Bastion. The Buda Castle area is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the distance is the highest mountain of the Buda Hill (529 m) - Janos with the ancient tower of Erzhebet.
How to climb the highest mountain in Budapest read in our author's children's guide, route number 4:
But the flat hard worker is Pest. It is business, administrative and trading part Budapest. Its unique Andrássy Avenue is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The luxurious building of the Hungarian Parliament rises above Pest.
The two banks are connected by seven bridges. In the photo closer: the main bridge of Budapest is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, further on is the Margaret Bridge and quite far beyond the Margaret Island is the Arpad Bridge.
2. Citadel on Mount Gellert. Bunker Museum.
The citadel is a powerful military fortification with a length of 220 m. The height of the walls is 16 m. It was built for 4 years from 1850 to 1854. Usually fortresses served to protect the entire city from enemies. But the citadel was built by the Habsburgs, the rulers of the Austrian Empire (of which Hungary was then a part), for defense against the Hungarians, control over the city and convenient shelling of Budapest. Indeed, Mount Gellert is an excellent strategic place. From here you have a great view of the whole city.
The reason for the construction of the fortress was the Hungarian revolution of 1848-1849. One of its goals was the independence of Hungary from Austria. Walking around Budapest, you will definitely meet in the names of streets, metro stations, bridges, monuments the names of the organizers of this revolution, who have become national heroes of Hungary. For example, the famous, the main city Chain Bridge of Szechenyi, is named after Count Istvan Szechenyi. In honor of Count Lajos Batthyani, a square and a metro station on the Buda side are named. central square Budapest and the metro junction on the Pest side bear the name of Ferenc Deák. Streets, squares and the Petofi bridge are named after the poet Sandor Petofi. Streets, a square and a metro station next to the Hungarian Parliament are named after Lajos Kossuth. 
The uprising was defeated "thanks" to the intervention of the Russian army, which came to the aid of a weakened Austria. In order to protect themselves from the Hungarian revolutionaries in the future, the Habsburgs ordered the construction of the Citadel on Mount Gellert after the uprising. Upon completion of construction, the Austrian military garrison was located in it. He left the fortification after the compromise declaration of the state of Austria-Hungary in 1867. locals they tried to pull apart the empty fortification over the stones, but the matter ended with the dismantling of only the main gate of the fortress.
We go up the street with souvenir shops to the Citadel. As always, there are many tourists here. Near the walls of the Citadel is a small exhibition of weapons from the Second World War. Basically, these are guns of different models and types. Traces of shells and bullets are still visible on the walls of the fortress.
During the war, the Citadel served as an air defense center for the German troops. There were German barracks, a hospital, an ammunition depot. In February 1945 Soviet troops, freeing Budapest, they stormed the Citadel. It was difficult, because the thick walls of underground bunkers calmly withstood powerful bombardments. German garrison impregnable fortress became the last stronghold of resistance of the Nazi troops in Budapest.
Inside, the Citadel had many tiers, rooms, secret passages leading to the slopes of the hill. The last three tiers were reconstructed and a bunker museum dedicated to World War II was created. Entrance to it is paid. In its corridors and rooms there are expositions that tell about Budapest during the period of occupation and liberation from Nazi Germany. With the help of wax figures, the life of the German invaders of the Citadel is shown: a hospital, a rest room, headquarters, living quarters.
The exposition contains many archival documents, photographs, personal items. The museum leaves a heavy impression. But it must be visited in order to once again remember and understand that war is creepy, cruel and scary. This horror must not be repeated.
3. Statue of Liberty and panoramic platform.
The 40-meter Statue of Liberty on Mount Gellert is visible from afar. In 1947, this monumental composition was created in honor of the liberation of Budapest by the Soviet army. In the 1990s, a sculpture of a Soviet liberator soldier was removed from here. She was taken to Memento Park, a special open-air museum on the outskirts of Budapest, where all the monuments of Hungary's communist era are kept. And the figure of a woman who holds a palm branch in her hands was called the Statue of Liberty.
After the events of October 1956, when the uprising against the communist dictatorship was brutally suppressed by the Soviet troops using tanks, aircraft, artillery, the Hungarians ceased to perceive the Soviet troops as liberators. They believe that the German fascist dictatorship has been replaced by another communist one.
At the foot of the Statue of Liberty is a large observation deck with comfortable benches. Here is a view of the handsome Pest from here.
And another photo: One of the seven bridges connects the two banks of the Danube. This is the Petofi bridge, named after the poet Sandor Petofi, an active participant in the Hungarian uprising of 1848-1849, after which the Citadel was built on Mount Gellert.
Closer in the photo - green domes and a red roof - this is the luxurious building of the Gellert Baths at the foot of the mountain.
From observation deck we go down steep paths and steps to the Cave Church. Opposite, across the road, the famous Gellert Baths.
4. Cave Church and Gellert Bath
Hot springs at the site of the Gellert baths were already known in the 8th-9th century. In the Middle Ages, the hermit Istvan lived in a cave on the mountainside, who healed people with hot muddy springs that gushed at the foot of the hill. After his death, he was canonized as a Saint and the Cave was named in honor of Saint Stephen.
Due to the presence of silt in the water, this place has long been called the Muddy Pool. Based on thermal silty springs, the luxurious baths of Gellert and luxury hotel Art Nouveau Danubius Hotel Gellert. Find out more about this hotel here:
The Gellert baths impress with their exquisite and original interior. We wrote more about the baths of Budapest in this article:
At the entrance to cave church- a monument to King Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary from the Arpad dynasty. He holds the church in his hands. This symbol in sculpture is not accidental. After all, it was King Stephen who converted the country to Christianity, founded the first bishopric in the city of Esztergom. For this he was canonized as a saint. The Hungarian people deeply revere the king. He is called the patron saint and protector of Hungary. Stephen's Baptism Day, August 20, Chief National holiday countries.
It is interesting to travel from Budapest to Esztergom and learn more about Istvan. Read:
Behind the monument is the most beautiful bridge of the capital of Hungary - the Freedom Bridge. Graceful, as if openwork, the bridge with metal spans looks surprisingly light and airy. Its four towers are decorated with the mythical turula birds, which in legends were messengers of the gods and predicted the most important events in the history of Hungary.
By the way, one of the legends is connected with the Palanok castle in Mukachevo. We wrote about it here:
The Freedom Bridge was built in 1896. At first it was called the Customs Bridge, later - in honor of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, who participated in its grand opening. In 1945, during the liberation of Budapest from Nazi troops, the bridge was blown up. But after 1.5 years, honey mushrooms were restored.
That's entrance to the cave church. Payment is 600 forints, including an audio guide, but there is no audio guide in Russian. The temple is active, services are held here.
Since ancient times, people have lived in the Cave of St. Stephen. In addition to the medieval hermit Istvan, a poor family lived here in the 19th century. Paintings and photographs of 1860 and 1877 testify to this. The residents built a small clay house nearby, and the entrance was blocked with a wooden fence. The cave was used by the family as an inner master's yard.
The cave church was opened here only in 1924 by the Order of the Pauline Monks. The monks were inspired to create such an original temple by visiting the French cave church in Lourdes. At first, worship services were held in a small room. In 1925, the cave was significantly expanded using explosives. A year later, the church was consecrated on Trinity. The interior of the temple was very similar to the "inspirer" - the cave church in Lourdes. A few years later, next to the Cave of St. Stephen was erected monastery paulins. The temples were connected to each other by an underground passage.
During World War II, the premises of the Cave Church served as a military field hospital for German troops. After the liberation of Budapest from the Nazi army, services in the church resumed. But this did not last long. On the night before Easter 1951, on the orders of the communist authorities, the church was seized by the Hungarian secret police. They arrested and imprisoned all the monks, and the head of the temple, Ferenc Weser, was sentenced to death. The entrance to the Cave Church was walled up with a concrete wall more than 2 meters thick. A hostel for ballerinas was set up in the monastery nearby. So the Hungarian communist government fought the Catholic churches in the country.
In 1989, the concrete wall that closed the entrance to the cave church was destroyed. The temple was gradually restored. In 1992, the monks of the Pauline Order returned here and resumed regular services.
It is peaceful inside the Cave Church. She is small but beautiful. The stones around create a special atmosphere. Everything here is created with love and reverence, with care for those who pray.
Sculpture of Saint Stephen.
Inside the cave church
Main altar.
Unique sculpture of the Virgin Mary with a crown on her head. According to legend, King Stephen, in order to unite the people of his country, offered the Mother of God to become the Queen of Hungary, her protector and patroness.
And some more photos of the cave church. 
7-8. Park and original playgrounds on Gellert Hill
Up to the Citadel we climb already more gentle paths. They lead through a beautiful park with original sculptures. In the 18th century, vineyards grew here, on the slopes of Gellert Hill, and the place at the foot was considered a large wine-growing area. On the top of the mountain there was a small church, to which believers used to go during Easter.
On the grass in the park you can lie down and relax.
An unusual monument to the Hungarian writer Szabo Dezo.
Playgrounds on Mount Gellert are a great opportunity for young travelers to relax. In between visits to all the sights, you can unwind and have fun.
At number 7 on the map of the route for walking along Mount Gellert ( at the beginning of the article)- children's park called Cerka-Firka.
And this is the trailer park Csuszdapark at number 8 on the map. It has a lot of different slides.
5. Monument to Saint Gellert and waterfall
On the mountain rises above the Danube a monument to St. Gellert, after whom the hill is named. He raised the cross, blessing Budapest and the whole country. St. Gellert is considered one of the patrons of Hungary. Steps lead to the monument from the foot of the mountain. The waterfall gently falls.
Gellert is a revered Hungarian saint. Interestingly, he is Italian by nationality, a representative of a noble Venetian family. Gellert was born in Venice in 977. His real name is Giorgio Sagredo. Giorgio spent all his childhood and youth in monastic schools and the university. After graduation, he was tonsured at the Benedictine monastery of St. George in Venice, and then in 1012 became a prior there.
How did the future enlightener of Hungary get to this distant country. In 1015, Giorgio Sagredo went on a ship as a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. But he never got to Jerusalem because of a strong storm. On the way, Giorgio met an abbot from Hungary, who invited him to his country and promised to introduce him to King Stephen I.
The legend says that upon arrival in Hungary at the end of the solemn mass in honor of the Virgin Mary, George Sagredo had a vision - his death among the rocks. He took this as God's sign to become a martyr and decided to stay in Hungary forever. King Stephen I highly appreciated the wisdom of the monk, invited him to become a teacher for his son Imre. For 7 years, Gellert lived as a hermit in a Benedictine monastery in the village. Bakonibel, Veszprem County. Here he healed sick people and animals. By order of King Stephen, he became a bishop in the south of Hungary, preached Christianity throughout the country.
After Stephen's death in 1038, the pagan tribes rebelled. They destroyed Christian churches, killed bishops and monks. On September 24, 1046, Gellert was captured by them, hammered into a barrel of nails and thrown off high mountain Kelenfeld. The half-dead bishop was finished off with stones and thrown into the Danube. The waters of the river for another 7 years were unable to wash Gellert's blood off the rocks. Miraculous healings took place at his grave.
In 1083 Gellert, King Stephen I of Hungary and his son Imre were canonized. And Mount Kelenfeld was renamed in honor of Bishop Gellert. On September 24, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Gellert's Day.
6. Philosophical Garden on Mount Gellert
The original sculptural composition was installed on Mount Gellert in 2001. The author, sculptor Nandor Wagner, devoted the last 15 years of his life to its creation. The Philosophical Garden was cast in Japan, where the artist lived, and bequeathed to his native Budapest. This is a place for reflection and contemplation.
There are only 8 figures in the composition. On a round pedestal are 5 representatives of the main religions of the world: Jesus, Buddha, the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu, the ancient Egyptian pharaoh and the religious figure Akhenaten, on his knees is the biblical character Abraham. Nearby are three more statues of historical figures who have become spiritual leaders for millions of people: the people's leader and Indian independence fighter Mahatma Gandhi; the founder of the Chan teaching in Buddhism and its first patriarch Bodhidharma; Catholic saint, founder of the mendicant monastic order of the Franciscans, Francis of Assisi.
6. Sculptural composition "Meeting of King Buda and Queen Pest", or "The Birth of Budapest"
Not far from the Philosophical Garden, about 10-15 m, on a round stone pedestal is another interesting sculpture. It is small in size, so not all travelers immediately find it.
This is a romantic story about King Buda and Queen Pest. Across the Danube, they stretch out their hands to each other, like bridges from one bank to another. So born great city Budapest. Buda's possessions are impressive luxury castles and palaces on wooded hills. And the Pest side is famous for craftsmen and artisans. All buildings in the territory of Pest are slanted. This means that the coast of Buda is higher than the coast of Pest.
We wish you bright travels!
The article is written with love and boundless gratitude to our dear Lyudmila and Alexei Yamkovenko.
Budapest is photogenic at any time of the year, day and in any weather. Here I am not a bit of a professional photographer, I'm too lazy to process photos, but even this city is good for me. Slightly added sharpness to photos, that's all processing. I will devote this post entirely to Buda, that is, the left bank of the Danube, where the Buda Castle and the Royal Palace are located. I want to emphasize right away that I am a fierce hater of any tourist "pop", so I try to visit obviously tourist sites either in the off-season or at inhuman times (early in the morning or late in the evening). And even better when both factors are combined: January, sleet, and even early morning. This is the time when tourists sit in hotel rooms and you can enjoy a walk through the old streets and take pictures without involuntarily getting into them. tourist groups -
Compare about the same thing, but taken at night -
Almost the same, but also at night -
Yes, yes, it's day again -
It is at night -
The best panoramic views of Budapest open, in my opinion, from Mount Gellert (see the photograph below, the mountain is on its right side, there is still a monument visible), or rather from a fortress called Citadella (Citadella) -
The fortress itself is relatively uninteresting, an ordinary military fort, by the way, never fulfilled the function assigned to it. You have to climb here with twisted paths and at the same time you will be out of breath -
But the views from the walls of the fortress are so fantastic that it's worth it -
Royal Palace -
Connoisseurs, pay attention to the GDR "Trabant" below -
Views from the side of the Buda Castle on Pest -
Hungarian Parliament -
Parliament is beautiful, I think even cooler than his London brother -
Connoisseurs will notice the historic IFA truck made in the GDR -
p.s. By the way, who is interested in old cars, then in the Bulgarian town of Stara Zagora, I found that time has turned back. There, most of the cars reminded me of my father's ancient magazines "Behind the wheel" of the 70s, carefully stored in the pantry
