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Goodnight Budapest
29 January 2025 01:40 pmAfter our two morning tours of the city, we were also treated to an hour long evening sightseeing cruise on the Danube River. In spite of the chilly weather, this was a spectacular way to end a day in this city. The views of the city and its bridges from the river were breathtaking and the city felt magical as we glided along the water and under the seven bridges that connect the two halves of this city. On the east side of the river, the Pest half of the city featured the immense facade of the Hungarian Parliament illuminated and commanding the waterfront. To the west, on the Buda side of the river, Buda Castle sat on its hill overlooking the river and the rest of the city. Nearby, the Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion also commanded their portion of the hilltop. And in between, the bridges stretched overhead, brightly lit and connecting the two halves of the city. It was a lovely way to see the city, and I was reminded how attractive a city can be at night when viewed from a boat. It brought to mind a similar river cruise we did on the Seine in Paris back in 2018. In both cases, I felt like I was seeing the very best face of the city.
After the cruise, we joined others from our group for dinner at a restaurant in City Park, a short walk from our hotel. After a lovely dinner in good company, we took a short walk through the park to see some of the highlights lit up for the night. In addition to the enormous public ice skating rink that was full of people skating under the lights, there is the Vajdahunyad Castle, a fantasy structure that blends a plurality of architectural styles from Romanesque and Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque. It was constructed in 1896 for the Millennial Exposition that was held in the park to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the Hungarian conquest. It now houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, and is a very picturesque structure, especially when lit up at night.
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped at Heroes' Square, at the edge of the park, to take in the monument to the founders and heroes of Hungary's history. We had visited here on our first evening, before sunset, but now, in the dark, with the monument lit up, it took on a whole new appearance, every bit as impressive as any of the monuments I've seen in Washington, DC or in Paris. The Millennium Column looks empty without the statue of the archangel Gabriel on top of it, but the statue is currently removed for renovations. Surrounding the column are equestrian statues of the seven chieftains of the Magyars who conquered Hungary. Behind the column is a colonnade with statues of important leaders in the nation's history, including (at the far left) King St. Stephen I, and above the colonnade are four sculptures that symbolically represent Labor and Wealth, War, Peace, and Knowledge and Glory. Heroes' Square anchors the end of Andrássy Avenue, which is highlighted as part of the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The overall impact of the square and the monument is impressive, especially at night.
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped at Heroes' Square, at the edge of the park, to take in the monument to the founders and heroes of Hungary's history. We had visited here on our first evening, before sunset, but now, in the dark, with the monument lit up, it took on a whole new appearance, every bit as impressive as any of the monuments I've seen in Washington, DC or in Paris. The Millennium Column looks empty without the statue of the archangel Gabriel on top of it, but the statue is currently removed for renovations. Surrounding the column are equestrian statues of the seven chieftains of the Magyars who conquered Hungary. Behind the column is a colonnade with statues of important leaders in the nation's history, including (at the far left) King St. Stephen I, and above the colonnade are four sculptures that symbolically represent Labor and Wealth, War, Peace, and Knowledge and Glory. Heroes' Square anchors the end of Andrássy Avenue, which is highlighted as part of the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The overall impact of the square and the monument is impressive, especially at night.
