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Castle Hill Walking Tour By visitBudapest.travel 2014 Edition Route: Funicular - Sándor Palace - National Dance Theatre - Holy Trinity tér - Matthias Church - Fishermen's Bastion - Hotel Hilton - Vienna Gate - Maria Magdalena Tower - Országház utca - Úri utca - Tóth Árpád sétány - Royal Palace Time: This walk takes about 3-4 hours. Add 1-2 hours if you plan to visit some of the museums. (Museums are closed on Mondays) Getting to Castle Hill: Take the Funicular or the public bus (Várbusz) from Széll Kálmán tér. Or walk up one of the many paths leading up to Castle Hill.

Leg 1 Sikló (Funicular) to Dísz tér - Begin your walk at the upper station of the Funicular {0}. The Funicular opened in 1870, and it was designed to provide cheap commute for the clerks working in the Castle District. Continue along Szinház utca. The first building to your right will be Sándor Palace (Sándor Palota) {1}, the President's Office. Sándor Palace is a fine example of Classicist architecture. It was built in 1806 and converted to the Prime Minister's office in 1867. At the end of WW II the building was severely damaged and left in ruins until 2000. The National Dance Theatre (Várszinház) {2} was originally built as a baroque style church in 1736 and was later converted into a theatre. Szinház utca ends at Dísz tér {3}. Leg 2 Dísz tér to Szentháromság tér (Holy Trinity Square) - From Dísz tér continue your walk on Tárnok utca {4} to the Holy Trinity Column erected in 1713 {6}. Visit the over 700-year old Matthias Church {7}, the scene of several coronations, including that of Charles IV, the last Habsburg king, in 1916. Then head over to Fishermen's Bastion {8} for some of the best views of the city. Fishermen's Bastion was built between 1890 and 1905 and the seven turrets symbolize the seven Hungarian tribes that arrived to the Carpathian Basin in 896. Leg 3 Szentháromság tér to Bécsi Kapu tér (Vienna Gate) - See the remains of a former Dominican cloister that’s part of the Hilton Hotel {9}. Continue your walk through Hess András tér to Táncsics Mihály utca {10}, which ends at Bécsi Kapu tér (Vienna Gate) {11}, the northern gate of Castle Hill. In the Middle Ages this area was called the 'Saturday Market'. The Zsolnay-tiled neo-Romanesque building towering above the square houses the National Archives {12}.

A (Very) Brief History The first royal castle in Buda was built in the 13th century after the Mongolian invasion. The 15th century saw the golden age of Castle Hill, following the marriage of King Matthias Corvinus and Beatrix of Naples in 1476. Many Italian artists and craftsmen accompanied the new queen, and Buda became an important European city. s After the Turkish occupation (1541-1686) Buda lay in ruins. A Baroque city was built, and Castle Hill soon became the district of government. During WW II, Buda was bombed to the ground and had to be rebuilt yet again. In 1987, Castle Hill was recognized as a World Heritage Site.

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Leg 4 Bécsi Kapu tér to Maria Magdalena Tower - The Maria Magdalena Tower {14}, ruins of a 13th-century Franciscan Church, stands on the corner of Országház utca and Kapisztrán tér. Leg 5 Maria Magdalena Tower to Disz tér - From Maria Magdalena Tower start walking south on Országház utca {15}. Be sure to check out the houses located at No. 18, 20 and 22, as they date back to the 14th century. Turn right on Dárda utca {16} and turn left on Úri utca {17}. Take Nőegylet utca and continue your walk on Tóth Árpád sétány {18}, south, till you end up at Dísz tér {3}. If you are interested in the cave system beneath Castle Hill visit the Labyrinth of Buda Castle at Úri utca 9 or make a detour to Lovas út and visit the Hospital in the Rock Museum {19}. Leg 6 Disz tér to Royal Palace - The Neo-Baroque buildings of the former Royal Palace {21} are visible from Dísz tér. Today, the palace is home to the Hungarian National Gallery (wings A-B-C-D) {22}, the Budapest History Museum (wing E) {23} and the National Library (wing F) {24}. Other attractions include the Lion Courtyard {25}, the Matthias Well {26}, a bronze statue of King Matthias, and the statue of the Turul Bird {28}, the mythological bird of the Magyars. If you have time, take a tour of the Hungarian National Gallery. Art lovers will need at least a couple of hours to view the permanent exhibits. This is the end of the Castle Hill Walking Tour. The upper station of the Funicular, where you started your walk, is next to the Royal Palace.

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Legend

What to see: 0. Start/End: Castle Hill Funicular (Sikló) 1. Sándor Palace 2. National Dance Theatre (Várszinház) 3. Dísz tér 4. Tárnok utca 5. Arany Sas Pharmacy Museum 6. Holy Trinity Column 7. Matthias Church 8. Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya) 9. Hilton Hotel and Dominican cloister 10. Táncsics Mihály utca 11. Vienna Gate (Bécsi Kapu tér) 12. National Archives 13. Military History Museum (Hadtörténeti Múzeum) 14. Maria Magdalena Tower 15. Országház utca 16. Dárda utca 17. Úri utca 18. Tóth Árpád sétány 19. Hospital in the Rock (Sziklakórház) 20. Szent György utca 21. Royal Palace 22. Hungarian National Gallery 23. Budapest History Museum 24. National Library 25. Lion Courtyard (Oroszlános udvar) 26. Matthias Well (Mátyás kút) 27. Statue of Eugene of Savoy 28. Turul Bird statue Where to stop for a coffee or a meal: A. Ruszwurm Café (Szentháromság utca 7) B. Magyar Borok Háza (Szentháromság tér 6) C. Café Miro (Úri utca 30) D. Fortuna Restaurant (Hess András tér 4) E. Café Pierrot (Fortuna utca 14) F. 21 Restaurant (Fortuna utca 21)

Insider Tip: If you need a coffee break to keep you going, drop into Ruszwurm, one of the city's oldest Cafés, located in Szentháromság utca 7. Wine lovers should visit the House of Hungarian Wines, located on Szentháromság square.

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