December - 2014
Budapest - Hungary
Budapest is the capital and also the most populous city and the main financial, corporate, mercantile and cultural center in Hungary. It is the sixth largest city in the European Union. On the banks of the Danube River, it was united in 1873 by the merge of the cities Buda and Óbuda, both on the right bank of the river, and the city of Pest, on the left bank.
The central area of Budapest along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has several notable monuments of classical architecture, including the Hungarian Parliament and the Buda Castle. The city also has around 80 geothermal springs, the largest thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building in the world. Budapest attracts around 12 million international tourists per year, making it a highly popular destination in Europe.
The first picture shows the Museum of Applied Arts of Budapest (Iparművészeti Múzeum), the third-oldest applied arts museum in the world, built between 1893 and 1896. The second picture shows the main entrance of the Hotel Gellért, which hosts the Gellért Thermal Baths (Gellért Gyógyfürdő), a famous bath complex built between 1912 and 1918.
Located in the center of Budapest, next to one of its main avenues, is the St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent István-bazilika). Being a Roman Catholic basilica, it is actually the most important church building in Hungary, one of the most significant tourist attractions and the third highest church in Hungary. Equal with the Hungarian Parliament Building, it is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest at 96 meters.
Following are photos from its outside and inside and also the wonderful city view during sunset from its tower.
These photos were taken around Christmas, so we have a lot of Christmas decorations. Below we have a Christmas market, as well as nearby buildings.
Following we can see photos of the Danube River crossing the city. The river is quite busy all the time, being a tourist attraction and departure point for numerous boats.
In the background we have the Citadel (Citadella), a fortification located upon the top of Gellért Hill (Gellért-hegy), with 235 m high. The Citadel is one of the most important historical locations, being constructed by the Austrian military in the mid-1800s, overlooking Danube and the city. On top of it is located the Liberty Statue or Freedom Statue (Szabadság-szobor), a tribute to peace in Budapest, built after World War II.
Once at the top of the Gellért Hill, it is possible to see the beauty of the city, both during the day and at dusk, when the city comes alive with the lights on.
