Budapest

Budapest is the capital of the European country of Hungary. It is the largest city in the country and in many ways the heart of Hungary.

It was founded in 1873 by merging the previously independent cities of Buda, Óbuda and Pest. Buda and Óbuda are located on the western side of the Danube, which flows through the city, Pest on the eastern side.

Budapest cityscape with Danube River, boats, and Hungarian flag on a boat.

Budapest Chain Bridge and Parliament building over the Danube River.

To change between the two sides of Budapest, there are several bridges. The oldest bridge is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Hungarian: Széchenyi lánchíd), which was built within 10 years and opened in 1849. With a length of 375 meters and a width of 12.5 meters, it stretches across the Danube.

The Chain Bridge is an important symbol for Budapest and for Hungary as a whole and is today one of the city's most prominent landmarks.

Close-up view of the Szechenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest, showing details of the bridge's structure and lights.

Black and white photo of the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest, Hungary, with a river and cityscape in the background.

Black and white photo of a bronze statue of a boy in a jester's hat sitting on a fence overlooking a river and cityscape.

View of Gellert Hill in Budapest featuring the Liberty Statue, a green copper church tower, and a stone fortification wall with bronze sculpture

Stone balustrade at Buda Castle overlooking Budapest, Hungary, with St. Stephen's Basilica in the background.

On the western side of the Danube is the castle district (Hungarian: Várnegyed) on the castle hill. It houses Buda Castle (Budavári Palota), Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom) and other buildings in Baroque style. The castle has been part of the Budapest UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

View through stone archway of Budapest Castle walls and Citadella on hilltop.

Bronze equestrian statue of András Hadik on a stone pedestal in a historic European town square framed by yellow marigold beds

Scenic cobblestone ramp leading up to Buda Castle with tourists, stone balustrades, and panoramic city views

Equestrian bronze statue on ornate stone pedestal in a sunny public plaza with tourists and flower beds

Matthias Church in Budapest, with a tall spire and ornate details.

Stone sculpture of a man with arrows piercing his chest and a halo, part of a larger Holy Trinity column.

Baroque Holy Trinity plague column standing in a historic European town square with pedestrians and traditional buildings

Neo-Baroque palace crowned by a green copper dome with bronze horse statue in a cobblestone plaza

Historic building with colorful patterned tile roof on a cobblestone street in Budapest's Castle District

St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest, Hungary.

Wide panoramic view of a large European public square with ornate geometric cobblestone pavement surrounded by classical and modernist buildings under a clear blue sky

Black and white photo of the corner of the Hungarian Parliament Building.

The Hungarian Parliament building is located opposite the castle district directly on the banks of the Danube. It was built by the Hungarian architect Imre Steindl on the basis of the Palace of Westminster in neo-Gothic style. The 268 meter long building was opened in the 1900s.