Andrassy
Street and Heroes Square Budapest –
Andrassy Street is the great boulevard of Budapest.
Budapest is an unusual city in that many of the buildings
were erected in the 19th Century for the Population
explosion – see below. But this building by
private nobility took an eclectic approach and you
can see the extraordinary mix of styles and ornamentation
on such as Andrassy Street.
Andrassy Street goes straight down from the Millenary
Column in the Heroes’ Square to the
Danube River – treelined all
the way. Almost every building has ornamentation or
plasterwork of note and the treelined street makes
a lovely walk.
On Andrassy Street is the Opera House (Operahaz).
Built in the late 19th Century, the Budapest Opera
House is an impresssive neo-renaissance building reminiscent
of the Opera House in Vienna.
The Millenary Monument is in Hero Square
at the top end of Andrassy Street. This centrepiece
of Heroes’ Square is a 36 meters high Column
with Archangel Gabriel on top. In the background are
two arcs of colonnades, with figures of the Hungarian
Kings on one side and leading historical figures on
the other arc. The first King of Hungary, King Stephen,
is depicted in an impressive statue to the left of
the Archangel Gabriel Column.
On two sides of the Square are magnificent buildings,
the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts and the Art Gallery.
BUDAPEST TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS –
The sights below are “must do’s”
on any visit to Budapest. After you’ve been,
you’ll have your own list. Budapest has a wide
range of important sightseeing options
but many people go without a pre-prepared list of
what they want to see – this is wise because
around every corner in Budapest is something likely
to appeal to someone. Another point about sightseeing
in Budapest is that many people don’t have a
mental picture of the magnificent buildings
such as the Budapest Parliament Buildings, the Royal
Palace in Budapest, etc – despite the fact they
are stunning.
1. Spend some time on Castle
Hill, Buda Castle, Royal Palace, Obuda
2. Go to the Budapest
Citadella and The Freedom Monument
3. Walk up Andrassy
Street to Heroes Square
4. Grab a bit of Culture
in Budapest – Opera,
Concert, Folk Music, etc
5. Look at the wide Danube
River and cross over the Chain Bridge
6. Take a trip to somewhere outside
Budapest – Danube Bend, Visegrad,
Esztergom, Cruise on the Danube, Szentendre (St Andrew)
etc
7. Soothe your aches in a Thermal
Bath, visit Vajdahunyad Castle and
City Park (Varosliget)
8. Go on a trip to Statue’s
Park
9. Visit some Churches,
the Great Jewish Synagogue, St Stephen’s
Basilica, St Matthias Church
10. Admire the Houses
of Parliament but make sure to take a
tour of the
interior
