Budapest


I will always remember the excitement that I felt on the day I arrived in Budapest : Wow !!! I just couldn’t believe that I actualy was in Budapest!

Budapest is a beautiful city and very affordable compared to many other major cities in Europe. I spent less money there than I expected. Moreover, the people are friendly and very welcoming in Budapest. In every restaurant or tourist destination where I went, I always found somebody who could speak English.

Also, Budapest's history is very rich and the architecture is gorgeous - these are what I came to photograph and that is exactly the sort of things I like to discover. I will definitely return to this unique city in a near future, as I have so much more to see.

The first photo is a panoramic view of Budapest from the Gellért Hill, the highest point of downtown Budapest.

Click on any picture for a full sized version

One of the reasons why I wanted visit Budapest was to see Europe’s largest parliament building and one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings. The Hungarian Parliament building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary and one of the most striking and famous landmarks in Hungary.

The first photo of the roll is a view of the Parliament from Castle Hill. The two other are views of the main staircase and the Deputy Council Chamber. As you can see, the interior decoration of the Parliament is as rich as its exterior. The amazing architecture nicely balances Buda Castle found on the opposite side of the river. Without question its one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen in my life.

The most famous of Budapest bridges is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest, which opened in 1849. Furthermore, it is one of the symbolic buildings of all Budapest and the most widely known bridge of the Hungarian capital. No surprise that it attracts many visitors, especially at night when the bridge is beautifully illuminated by countless bulbs. What's really spectacular about this bridge, however, is its architecture and the statues of the Lions that guard its entrance.

Just two minutes walk from my hotel, The Buda Castle in Budapest is located on Castle Hill above the Danube River. It's the historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary. Today, the palace is home to a number of museums, including the Ludwig Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. There is plenty to see and to do during a visit to the palace, and the view of the Danube from in front of the building is great ! There are so many photos waiting for you up there!

Right in the middle of the first photo of this row, it’s the St. Stephen's Basilica, the largest church in Budapest. The dome of the basilica, which is exactly as tall as the Parliament, reaches 96 meters and is visible from all over the city. A great panorama of Budapest can be seen from the top of St Stephen's Basilica. And the interior of the basilica is just fantastic.

I have this anecdote about the last photo of this row. On the train between Budapest and Vienna, I met this nice lady and I showed her my photos of Budapest on the LCD monitor of my camera. After seeing this photo, she starts laughing out loud. Yes, it’s a Lada, a common car in Budapest, the telephone booth and a street lamp with flowers. For her, it was maybe a too common photo if not a very boring one. But for me, put aside the composition of this photo that I like, I find these three objects to be a very good representation of Budapest.

One last thought on my trip in Budapest: The Hotel Burg. This small three star hotel is simply superb in its class ! The Hotel Burg is a small hotel in the castle district of Budapest and if you're looking for a modern, friendly and inexpensive hotel in a beautiful location with fabulous views, this place is unquestionably the best hotel you'll find.



copyright © 2010 Denis Duchesne