May 4, 2026 – May 8, 2026
DAY ONE – MONDAY, MAY 4, 2026:
We arrived from Vienna via train at the Budapest-Keleti Train Station. We then took the M2 Metro and Tram 6 to our accommodation, the Medos Hotel.
Déli Pályaudvar M2 Subway Station Art
JEWISH QUARTER WALK:
In the afternoon, we walked from our hotel to the Budapest Jewish Quarter to see three synagogues, some Jewish memorials, a couple of Kolodko mini statues, and a lot of street art.
Statues on the Way:
On the way to the Jewish Quarter, we walked along the park that lines Jókai tér and Liszt Ferenc tér and saw several unusual statues.
Stone Crucifix
Statue of Mór Jókai, a famous Hungarian novelist, dramatist, and revolutionary
Statue of Hungarian Poet Endre Ady
Statue of Composer Franz Liszt energetically playing an imaginary piano
Statue of Hungarian Poet József Attila
Conductor Sir George Solti Statue
Franz Liszt Academy of Music:
We also passed the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and an interesting sign for the Wattson Bar.
Franz Lizst Academy of Music
Wattson Bar Sign
Jewish Quarter Street Art:
The Jewish Quarter has several interesting pieces of street art. Here are some of the highlights:
Ángel Sanz Briz (Angel of Budapest)
Door by Void
Godzu Court Mural
Hungarian rock band Locomotiv GT Mural
Krtek, also known as The Little Mole by 0036mark
Love Thy Neighbor, created by British-born artist Luke Embden
Rubik’s Cube Mural
Hands Mural
Sewer of Clothes Mural
Mini Statues by the Artist Mihály Kolodko:
In our Jewish Quarter Walk we also saw a Seress Rezső Mini Statue by Kolodko.
As you’ll see, Mihály Kolodko’s mini statues are ubiquitous throughout Budapest.
Seress Rezső was a songwriter who infamously wrote Gloomy Sunday (a song which contributed to suicides in the 1930s) while living and working in the bar where the mini statue is found. Rezső could have collected a fortune in royalties for the song in the US, but instead stayed in the bohemian bar, writing, playing the piano and singing for the clientele. Years of depression followed and, ironically, Rezső survived a suicide attempt from the upstairs window.
Seress Rezső Mini Statue by Kolodko
The other mini statue by Kolodko we saw on the Jewish Quarter Walk is of Theodore Herzl, the founder of Modern Judaism.
Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism Mini Statue by Kolodko
Karaván Street Food Budapest and Gozsdu Udvar Courtyard:
We passed by the Karaván Street Food Budapest with with its street food courtyard.
Karaván Street Food Budapest
We also passed through the Gozsdu Udvar Courtyard, packed with restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and street vendors.
Gozsdu Udvar Courtyard
The three synagogues we saw in the Jewish Quarter were the Kazinczy Street Synagogue (Budapest Orthodox Synagogue), the Rumbach Street Synagogue, and the Dohány Street Synagogue (Great Synagogue).
Kazinczy Street Synagogue (Budapest Orthodox Synagogue):
Kazinczy Street Synagogue is an Art Nouveau orthodox synagogue built between 1912 and 1913, remodeled in 2006.
At the end of the 19th century, the Jewish community of Pest broke into three branches – Neolog, Status Quo Ante and Orthodox. The Kazinczy Street Synagogue was built for the latter – the most tradition-bound, strict Jewish community.
Kazinczy Street Synagogue (Budapest Orthodox Synagogue) Exterior
Seating arrangements enforce gender separation, with men’s benches on the ground level featuring motifs of tulips and roses, and two-story women’s galleries supported by wrought-iron lattice pillars.
Kazinczy Street Synagogue (Budapest Orthodox Synagogue) Interior
Tulip and Rose Wood Carvings on the Benches
The ceiling is also rose-themed.
Rose-Themed Ceiling
It is a beautiful tradition that the rabbi’s chair, located to the left of the Torah ark, has not been used by the religious leaders of the community since the death of Chief Rabbi Reich Yakov Koppel, the synagogue’s first rabbi, in 1929.
Torah Ark
Rabbi’s Chair
Chief Rabbi Reich Yakov Koppel
Rumbach Street Synagogue:
The synagogue on Rumbach Street, handed over in 1873, was designed by Otto Wagner. The synagogue is a status quo ante synagogue, representing the middle ground between the neologism and orthodox trends.
In 1941, the Hungarian authorities converted it into an internment camp. In 1944, the building became part of the Pest ghetto. Sacred life ceased by the end of the 1950s.
After a complete renovation and restoration following decades of destruction, the synagogue reopened in 2021.
Rumbach Street Synagogue Exterior
Rumbach Street Synagogue Interior
Torah Ark
The synagogue is decorated in an intricate Moorish-style, with decorative columns and colorful walls and ceilings.
Decorative Columns
Colorful Walls and Ceilings
Dome
Balcony
On the third floor there is an exhibit on the history of the Hungarian Jews.
Exhibit on the Third Floor
Dohány Street Synagogue (Great Synagogue):
This is the largest synagogue in Europe, seating 3,000 people, and is a center of Neolog Judaism.
Dohány Street Synagogue Exterior
The two tall towers are not typical of traditional synagogues.
Towers and Rosette Window
The synagogue interior feels like a church with the symbols switched – with a basilica floor plan, a nave with two side aisles, two pulpits, and even a pipe organ.
The two-tiered balconies on the sides of the nave were originally for women, who worshipped separately from the men.
Dohány Street Synagogue Exterior
Two Pulpits
Rear of the Synagogue
In the ark, at the front of the main aisle, 25 surviving Torah scrolls are kept.
Torah Ark and Pipe Organ
Ornate Hanging Lamp with Star of David
The Hungarian Jewish Museum (Magyar Zsidó Múzeum) adjoining the Dohány Street Synagogue helps illuminate the Jewish faith, with a variety of Jewish objects.
Hungarian Jewish Museum (Magyar Zsidó Múzeum)
Mass graves are located in the synagogue’s courtyard, which became a makeshift cemetery during the winter of 1944/1945. Over 2,000 victims of the Budapest ghetto were buried in 24 mass graves there. Later markers and tomstones were added.
Courtyard and Mass Graves
The synagogue also includes a Holocaust memorial complex, including the Raoul Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park (Garden of the Just) and a Tree of Life sculpture.
Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish architect, businessman, diplomat, and humanitarian. He saved thousands of Jews in German-occupied Hungary during the Holocaust from German Nazis and Hungarian fascists during the later stages of World War II.
Raoul Wallenberg, Sweden’s special envoy in Budapest between July and December 1944
Raoul Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park (Garden of the Just)
Grave Memorial to ‘Righteous Among the Nations’
The Tree of Life was created by renowned artist Imre Varga, cast in steel, was erected in 1990, soon after the fall of communism made it possible to acknowledge the Holocaust. The weeping willow makes an upside-down menorah, and each of the 4,000 metal leaves is etched with the name of a Holocaust victim. New leaves are added all the time, donated by families of the victims.
Tree of Life
Tree of Life Detail
There is also a display of famous Hungarian (or of Hungarian descent) Jewish Scientists and Inventors and Artists.
Famous Hungarian Jewish Scientists and Inventors
Famous Hungarian Artists
Carl Lutz Memorial:
The Jewish Quarter has a memorial to Carl Lutz, a Swiss diplomat who is considered one of the “Righteous Among the Nations” after he worked to save an estimated 60,000 Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust.
Carl Lutz, Swiss Diplomat
The memorial depicts Lutz as a golden angel, descending from the heavens to help a fallen victim.
Carl Lutz Memorial
Surrounding the memorial is a plaque, a metal plate on the street, and an inscribed rock.
The plaque says “Whoever saves a life is considered as if he has saved an entire world.” (Talmud).
Memorial Plaque
The metal plate says the same quote from the Talmud in Hungarian.
Talmud Quote in Hungarian
The rock says “I go crazy when I have to decide suddenly; who to save. Where is God?(excerpt from the diary of Carl Lutz).”
Inscribed rock
LEGENDA NIGHTTIME CRUISE ON THE DANUBE:
At night, we took the M1 Metro to the Danube riverfront, saw a few statues, and then took a nighttime cruise on the Danube.
Entering the M1 Metro
Statues on the Way to the Nighttime Cruise:
The M1 Metro stops at Vörösmarty tér. On the square we saw statue of Poet Mihály Vörösmarty on the square named after him.
Statue of Poet Mihály Vörösmarty
Closer to the riverfront, we saw the Little Princess statue, created by László Marton (1925–2008) Munkácsy, who was inspired by his eldest daughter (Évi) born from his first marriage. She often played in the Tabán (Budapest neighborhood) wearing a princess costume and a crown made out of newspaper by her father, and at home as well, pretending her bathrobes were a mantle. This image prompted her father, the artist, in the creation of this little statue.
Little Princess Statue
Close by is a statue of a girl and her dog.
Statue of a Girl with Her Dog
A nearby park has a Children’s Fountain with Flowing Water (Vízcsorgató gyermekek
útja). (Though no water was flowing).
Children’s Fountain with Flowing Water (Vízcsorgató gyermekek útja)
Also nearby is a statue of William Shakespeare.
Statue of William Shakespeare
After crossing an underpass under the trams, we soon joined the…
Nighttime Cruise with Legenda City Cruises:
Our cruise included a free drink and headphone commentary.
Enjoying our Nighttime Danube Cruise
There were several highlights of the cruise:
Royal Palace
Liberty Bridge
Gellért Hill, topped by the Liberty Statue
Elisabeth Bridge
Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion
Hungarian Parliament
DAY TWO – TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2026:
M1 and M2 Subways:
We started our day by taking the M1 Metro and M2 Subways to Kossuth Lajos tér and the Hungarian Parliament Building.
Taking the Steep Escalator Down to the M2 Subway Line
The Kossuth Lajos tér Metro station had a couple of interesting sculptures.
Statue of blind prophet Tiresias from Greek mythology accompanied by his guide dog
by László Mátyás Oláh (cane has been stolen several times)
Anya gyermekével (Mother with Child) by sculptor József Somogyi in 1972
HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT (ORSZÁGHÁZ):
The Hungarian Parliament Building (Hungarian: Országház, lit. ’House of the Country’ or ‘House of the Nation’), also known as the Parliament of Budapest after its location, is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, a notable landmark of Hungary, and a popular tourist destination in Budapest.
Hungarian Parliament Building
It is situated on Kossuth Square in the Pest side of the city, on the eastern bank of the Danube. It was designed by Hungarian architect Imre Steindl in neo-Gothic style and opened in 1902. It has been the largest building in Hungary since its completion.
Parliament North End Visitors’ Center Entrance
István Tisza (Former Prime Minister) Monument (Lion on the pillar)
On the 45-minute tour, our audioguide explained the history and symbolism of the building’s intricate decorations and offered a lesson in the Hungarian parliamentary system.
We also saw dozens of bushy-mustachioed statues illustrating the occupations of workaday Hungarians through history.
Statues of Workaday Hungarians inside Parliament
Parliament Hallway
We also saw the grand staircase.
Grand Staircase
Grand Staircase Ceiling
Then we entered the hall under the gilded dome to see the heavily guarded Hungarian Crown Jewels.
Gilded Dome
The hall is surrounded by statues of 16 great Hungarian monarchs, from St. István to Habsburg empress Maria Theresa.
Statues of Hungarian Monarchs
Hungarian Crown Jewels
Finally we saw the Assembly Hall.
Assembly Hall
Assembly Hall (detail)
The Parliament also has a museum.
Parliament Museum
Parliament Museum (detail)
Model of Parliament
Rézvitéz or Copper Knight that Decorated one of the Towers of the Parliament Building
MONUMENTS STROLL:
Budapest is a city of great monuments, and some of the most vivid are on or near Kossuth Lajos tér.
Leaving the Parliament tour, the first monument we saw is the monument to Lajos Kossuth, the square’s namesake, who led the 1848 Revolution against the Habsburgs.
Monument to Lajos Kossuth
Across the street from the monument to Lajos Kossuth is the Royal Curia (Supreme Court).
Royal Curia (Supreme Court)
Royal Curia (Supreme Court) (detail)
To the far right a dramatic equestrian statue of Ferenc Rákóczi stands in the square. Rákóczi valiantly – but unsuccessfully – led the Hungarians in their War of Independence (1703-1711) against the Habsburgs.
Equestrian statue of Ferenc Rákóczi
The next monument is the underground memorial marked 1956 – the Memorial to the 1956 Uprising that began on this very square.
Memorial to the 1956 Uprising
Walking down the stairs, we saw pictures and videos explaining the 1956 Uprising.
Pictures and Videos about 1956 Uprising
The last room of the exhibit has a Hungarian Flag with a hole in it.
Hungarian Flag with a Hole In It
Moving clockwise around the Parliament building, we then saw an equestrian statue of Count Gyula Andrássy. Andrássy was a Hungarian statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Hungary (1867–1871) and subsequently as Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary (1871–1879).
Equestrian statue of Count Gyula Andrássy
Moving to the railing overlooking the Danube River, we had great views of the Buda side of the river.
View of Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion
View of the Royal Palace
By the railing we next saw a statue of a young man sitting and looking at the Danube. This is the statue of Attila József, who took his own life at age 32.
Statue of Attila József
József’s poems of life, love, and death – mostly written in the 1920s and 1930s – are considered the high point of Hungarian literature.
By the Danube by Attila József
On the bottom step that from the wharf descends
I sat, and watched a melon-rind float by.
I hardly heard, wrapped in my destined ends,
To surface chat the silent depth reply.
As if it flowed from my own heart in spate,
Wise was the Danube, turbulent and great…
Attila József
Then we walked down stairs and walked along the Danube. We found our next monument – the Shoes on the Danube Holocaust Memorial.
Consisting of 60 pairs of iron shoes, this monument commemorates the Jews who were killed when the Nazi’s puppet government, the Arrow Cross, came to power in Hungary in 1944. While many Jews were sent to concentration camps, the Arrow Cross massacred some of them right here, shooting them and letting their bodies fall into the Danube.
Shoes on the Danube Holocaust Memorial
Shoes on the Danube Holocaust Memorial Plaque
From here, we returned to the statue of Attila József, crossed the tram tracks and went straight until we reached a tree-filled park. This park has a Lady Hungaria statue honoring Victims of the Red Terror (A Nemzet Vértanúinak), when approximately 500 Hungarians lost their lives (including former prime minister István Tisza) during a brief period of communist rule at the end of World War I.
Lady Hungaria honoring Victims of the Red Terror (A Nemzet Vértanúinak)
On the back side of this monument, a valiant hero fights a dragon; this is a vague and generic monument to all victims of communism.
Monument to all victims of communism
We then walked a block to Liberty Square (Szabadság tér), where there were several monuments.
Just to the left of the main entrance of Liberty Square, we found a bronze axe resting on a pillow – a mini statue creation of Kolodko.
Axe on a pillow mini statue by Kolodko
This axe mini statue has quite a story. The sculpture originally was of a Russian fur cap (Ushanka) resting on a pillow, representing Russian influence in Hungary. A member of parliament took exception to another Soviet occupation statue in the park and took an axe to the sculpture and threw it in the Danube. The day he did this was the memorial day of Hungarian political prisoners and forced laborers who were taken to the Soviet Union.
Original Ushanka (Russian fur cap) mini statue by Kolodko
Kolodko hit back by placing the axe on the cushion in place of the original Russian fur cap.
Kolodko continued hitting back by installing a sculpture along the Danube close to the Parliament Visitors’ Center entitled “Ushanka Returns”, which shows the Russian fur cap with frog legs returning from the Danube.
Ushaka Returns mini statue by Kolodko
Liberty Square has other monuments. Two of its most memorable are of the American Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.
Ronald Reagan Statue
George Bush Statue
There is also a Soviet War Memorial (or Red Army Monument) located in Liberty Square. It commemorates the Soviet soldiers who fell during the Battle of Budapest in 1944–1945.
Soviet War Memorial (or Red Army Monument)
The square also contains another Kolodko mini statue, this one entitled Frog Breki (nicknamed Kermit the Frog).
Frog Breki (Kermit the Frog) mini statuę by Kolodko
Next to the square, the Art Nouveau building Sváb Building peeks out between the trees.
Sváb Building (also known as the Duna Mutual Savings Bank building)
Lastly, the square contains a Monument to the Hungarian Victims of the Nazis.
Monument to the Hungarian Victims of the Nazis
Locals have created a makeshift counter-memorial to the victims of the World War II-era Hungarians (not just Germans) in front of this official monument.
Counter Memorial to the Victims of the World War II-era Hungarians (not just Germans)
At the edge of the square, there is a fountain which magically parts when someone passes through it.
Fountain with Parting-Water Sensors
We walked a couple additional blocks until we reached St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
St. Stephen’s Cathedral (detail)
A block away, we saw an unusual sculpture, that of a fat policeman.
The Fat Policeman Statue
To end our monuments tour, we saw a statue of Keleti Agnes, five-time Olympic Hungarian Gymnast.
Keleti Agnes Statue
We then took the M1 subway to the…
HOUSE OF TERROR MUSEUM:
This building that houses this museum was home to first the Arrow Cross (the Gestapo-like enforcers of Nazi-occupied Hungary), then the ÁVO and ÁVH secret police (the insidious KGB-type wing of the Soviet satellite government). To keep dissent to a minimum, both the Arrow Cross and the ÁVO and ÁVH secret police terrorized, tried, deported, or executed anyone suspected of being an enemy of the state.
Building used by both the Nazi Arrow Cross Party and the communist ÁVO (later renamed ÁVH)
The atrium features a Soviet T-54 tank, and a vast wall covered with 3,200 portraits of people who were murdered by the Nazis or the communists in this very building.
Atrium – Soviet T-54 Tank – 3,200 Portraits of people murdered by Nazis or communists in this building
Photos of Murdered People in This Building (detail)
Hungary first allied with the Nazis, then were invaded by them, then liberated by the Soviets, then occupied by them (a Double Occupation).
Double Occupation room
The next hall, the Passage of the Hungarian Nazis (Arrow Cross Party), marks the starting point of the Nazi occupation.
Passage of the Hungarian Nazis (Arrow Cross Party)
The Hall of the Hungarian Nazis reflects the terror that took hold once the Arrow Cross Party was in control.
Hall of the Hungarian Nazis
Hungarian Nazi Party Uniforms
Next we reached the room devoted to the Gulag—a network of secret Soviet prison camps, mostly in Siberia. The room had cones sprinkled around the floor with several curiosities.
Gulag room
Chains in the Gulag room
The Changing Clothes room satirizes the readiness of many Hungarians to align themselves with whomever was in power.
Changing Clothes room
The room on The Fifties examines the gradual insinuation of the communist regime into the fabric of Hungary.
The Fifties room
This room also showed the survillance operation that was used for communication and intelligence.
Surveillance (Communication and Intelligence)
Next came the Room of Soviet Advisors.
Room of Soviet Advisors
The Resistance Room symbolizes how resistance solidified.
Resistance Room
The exhibit continued downstairs in the Resettlement and Deportation room.
Resettlement and Deportation room
Then we entered halls of pork-fat bricks, symbolizing the harsh conditions of the 1950s which caused the Surrender of Property and Land.
Pork Fat Bricks in the Surrender of Property and Land section
The next room examines the ÁVO/ÁVH, the communist secret police.
Members of the communist ÁVO, later renamed ÁVH
Next we saw the office of the first director of the ÁVO, Gábor Péter.
Office of Gábor Péter (the first director of the ÁVO)
Next, the “Justice” room showed trials that were held to deal with people who had subverted the regime.
“Justice” room
“Justice” room (detail)
Next was communist propaganda.
Communist Propaganda
Then a room dedicated to Everyday Hungarian Life and a Hungarian Silver (aluminum) room.
Everyday Hungarian Life room
Hungarian Silver (aluminum) room
Next was a room about the effect of Religion on persecutions.
Religion room
Then we descended on an elevator to the basement, watching a video about the execution process.
Elevator video about the execution process
We explored the prison cellar and prison cells.
Prison Cellar
Prison Cell
We saw a small room with a gallows.
Gallows room
And a Torture room.
Torture room
The next room symbolized Internment Camps.
Internment Camps room
The room commemorating the 1956 Uprising features a symbol of that uprising—a Hungarian flag with a hole cut out of the middle (a hastily removed Soviet emblem) and the slogan Ruszkik Haza! (“Russkies go home!”).
Hall of the 1956 Uprising
Hungarian Flag with Hole in It and “Russians Go Home” slogan
Next, the Emigration room showed a multitude of postcards.
Emigration room
Postcards (detail)
The Room of Farewell showed the Soviets leaving Hungary.
Room of Farewell
Last, we saw pictures of the “Victimizers”, members and supporters of the Arrow Cross and ÁVO/ÁVH.
Gallery of Victimizers
Gallery of Victimizers (detail)
LUNCH AT EDY’S FRENCH TACOS:
We had a late lunch at Edy’s French Tacos, with grilled flat tortillas filled with our choice of meat and toppings. Apparently Edy believes these are “French Tacos”, not “Burritos”.
Edy’s French Tacos
A Sample Edy’s French Taco
DAY THREE – WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2026:
CASTLE HILL, BUDA:
We started the day by taking the M1 Subway and Bus 16 to Castle Hill, on the Buda side of the Danube. We then walked to the…
Turul Bird Statue:
This mythical bird of Magyar folktales supposedly led the Hungarian migrations from the steppes of central Asia in the ninth century. He dropped his sword in the Carpathian Basin, indicating that this was to be the permanent home of the Magyar people.
Turul Bird Statue
Checkered Ears Rabbit Mini Statue by Kolodko:
We then found on the railing close to the Turul Bird Statue another mini statue by Kolodko – this time a Checkered Ears Rabbit, a staple on Hungarian TV in the 1970s. Written by Veronika Marék and animated by Zsolt Richly, the show gained belated popularity around the world, especially in the US where it was shown on Nickelodeon after the fall of the Communist regime.
Rabbit with the Checkered Ears mini statue by Kolodko
We and the rabbit enjoyed the view of Parliament and Pest.
View of Parliament and Pest
And of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Pest.
View of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Pest
Walk to the Royal Palace:
Next we went through a Monumental Gateway next to the Turul Bird Statue and descended some stairs.
Monumental Gateway
At the bottom of the stairs, we saw a Fountain of Children Fishing.
Fountain of Children Fishing
From this fountain, we walked along the broad terrace to the entrance of the Royal Palace.
Walk along the broad terrace
Entrance to the Royal Palace
In front of the Royal Palace is an equestrian statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy.
Equestrian Statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy
Right behind this equestrian statue is the entrance to the National Gallery of Art.
National Gallery of Art:
The collection–includes a remarkable group of 15th-century, wood-carved altars from Slovakia (then “Upper Hungary”); and paintings dating from the failed 1848 Revolution to modern times.
Medieval Slovakian Altarpieces
Notable altarpieces include the High Altarpiece and the Altarpiece of the Annunciation from the Parish Church of Saint John The Baptist in Kisszeben (now Sabinov, Slovakia).
High Altarpiece in the Parish Church of Saint John The Baptist in Kisszeben (now Sabinov, Slovakia), 1496
Altarpiece of the Annunciation from the Parish Church of Saint John The Baptist in Kisszeben (now Sabinov, Slovakia), 1515-20
There were several paintings by Hungarian realist painters Mihály Munkácsy, Szinyei Merse Pál, and Bertalan Székely.
Yawning Apprentice by Mihály Munkácsy (1869)
The Condemned Cell by Mihály Munkácsy (1870)
Picnic in May by Szinyei Merse Pál (1873)
Skylark by Szinyei Merse Pál (1882)
Boy with a slice of bread and butter by Bertalan Székely (1875)
Sulking by Bertalan Székely (1884)
Other notable artists include Gyula Benczúr, Lajos Deák Ébner, and Csontváry Kosztka Tivadar.
My Children by Gyula Benczúr (1881)
Road of Hollyhocks by Lajos Deák Ébner (ca. 1880)
Pilgrimage to the Cedars in Lebanon by Csontváry Kosztka Tivadar (1907)
There were a couple of unusual contemporary art pieces.
Sextons by Victor Vasarely (1979)
Sphere by François Morellet (1965)
After viewing the art at the National Gallery, we walked through a tunnel in the Royal Palace to see a fountain and gate dedicated to King Matthias…
Matthias Fountain and Raven Gate:
Matthias Fountain
Raven Gate
Walk to Szentháromság Tér (Holy Trinity Square):
We then walked by Sándor Palace (with the hourly changing of the guard) and the the former Court Theater (Várszínház), now the office of the Prime Minister.
Sándor Palace
Former Court Theater (Várszínház)
We continued walking uphill through Dísz tér (Parade Square), with a Statue of the Independence War, commemorating the Hungarian freedom fighters who fought in the War of Independence against Austria in 1848-1849.
Statue of the Independence War
At at Tárnok utca 18, we found the following Madonna and Child by renowned Budapest artist Margit Kovács.
Madonna and Child by Margit Kovács
Once we reached Szentháromság Tér (Holy Trinity Square), we saw a plague column from 1713 (Holy Trinity Plague Column).
Plague column from 1713 (Holy Trinity Plague Column)
Walked to the Hospital in the Rock/Nuclear Bunker:
We then walked on Szentháromság Utca past a couple of statues, viewed Buda Hill, took the elevator down, and visited the Hospital in the Rock/Nuclear Bunker.
Sculpture of Pallas Athena (also known as Minerva), the Greek goddess of wisdom and war
Equestrian Statue of Count András Hadik, a famous Hungarian hussar general by György Vastagh Jr.
View of the Buda Hills
Stairs and Elevator
Hospital in the Rock/Nuclear Bunker:
Sprawling beneath Castle Hill is a 25,000 square foot labyrinthine network of hospital and fallout-shelter corridors built during the mid-20th century.
Hospital in the Rock Underground Corridors
We took a one-hour English tour of this complex.
Entrance to the Hospital in the Rock/Nuclear Bunker
First we watched an introductory film, then we went through the tunnels to see several wax figures which brought the Hospital in the Rock/Nuclear Bunker to life.
Introductory Film
During WWII, the Hospital in the Rock was under the protection of the International Red Cross.
International Red Cross
At times, especially during the Siege of Budapest in World War II, the Hospital in the Rock was severely overcrowded.
Ward Room
Exam Room
Operating Room
Doctors and Nurses Taking Care of the Sick and Wounded
Medical Supplies
Patient in Pain on the Toilet
In addition to being in operation during World War II, the Hospital in the Rock was utilized during the Hungarian Uprising in 1956, with both Hungarians and Russians being treated.
Ward Utilized during Hungarian Uprising of 1956
In addition to showing the Hospital in the Rock, our tour showed how doctors and nurses also cared for casualties above ground during battle action.
Caring for Casualties of War Above Ground
WWII Helicopter Room
The Air Raid Alarm Center is the oldest part of the complex, built in 1937, before the hospital was opened. This is where the sirens of the Castle District could be turned on and off.
Air Raid Alarm Center
Between 1958 and 1962, the complex was expanded, and transformed into a nuclear bunker. It was a top secret institution until 2004.
Nuclear Bunker Gas Masks
The tour concluded in a room with several origami birds, symbolizing the desire for peace.
Origami Birds Symbolizing Desire for Peace
We returned to Szentháromság Tér (Holy Trinity Square) and explored the…
Matthias Church:
This church, originally founded by King Béla IV, is officially known as the Church of Our Lady or the Coronation Church, but everyone calls it Matthias Church, for Matthias Corvinus, the popular Renaissance king who got married here – twice.
Matthias Church (Mátyás-Templom)
Raven on the Matthias Church Tower
The interior is just as beautiful as the exterior. Just inside the doorway, we found the coat of arms of King Matthias.
Coat of Arms of King Matthias
Around the corner from the coat of arms (at the back left of the church) is the Loreto Chapel, with a famous 1515 statue of Mary and Jesus and a Black Madonna.
1515 statue of Mary and Jesus
Black Madonna
Outside the Loreto Chapel, there is a carved capital column from 1260, showing two men gesturing excitedly at a book.
Carved Capital Column from 1260
Next to the carved capital column is the church’s baptismal font.
Baptismal Font
We then turned toward the nave, and walked closer to see the high altar.
Matthias Church Nave
Pulpit
Organ
Stained Glass Window
High Altar
Above Mary’s head on the high altar is a replica of the Hungarian Crown.
Mary with a replica of the Hungarian Crown over Her Head
There are side chapels with one containing the tombs of King Béla III of Hungary and his wife Agnes of Antioch.
Right Side Chapel
Tombs of King Béla III of Hungary and his wife Agnes of Antioch
Winged Altarpiece
Saint Imre Altar
Next to the Matthias Church is the Fisherman’s Bastion and a Statue of St. István (Stephen).
Fisherman’s Bastion:
Evoking the original seven Magyar tribes, and built for the millennial celebration of their arrival, the Fisherman’s Bastion is one of Budapest’s top landmarks.
Fisherman’s Bastion
Fisherman’s Bastion provides a great view of Parliament and Pest.
View of Parliament and Pest from Fisherman’s Bastion
Where steps start to go down from Fisherman’s Bastion, there are statues of Árpád-era warriors.
Statues of Árpád-era warriors.
Statue of St. István (Stephen):
In front of the Fisherman’s Bastion is a statue of Hungary’s first Christian king, St. István (Stephen). Reliefs around the statue tell his story.
Statue of St. István (Stephen)
Relief – Coronation of St. István (Stephen)
Relief – King St. Stephen visits the wounded
Relief – King Saint Stephen I, the first Christian king of Hungary, receiving a church model
Relief – King St. Stephen on his throne
We now returned to our hotel via Bus 16 and the M1 Subway.
Riding Bus 16 from Buda to Pest
We ate dinner at the popular Menza restaurant, just a block away from our accommodation.
Menza Restaurant
DAY FOUR – THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2026:
We checked out of our hotel and took the tram and M4 subway to the Budapest Keleti Train Station to catch a train to Eger, Hungary.
Eger Overview
Eger is a town of about 60,000 people with a thriving teacher training college and beautiful churches built by powerful bishops. It’s claim to fame is, despite all odds, having successfully defended the Ottoman advance in 1522. It is also known for the wines in its region, particularly Bull’s Blood, or Egri Bikavér).
Little Dobó Square (Kis-Dobó Tér)
Once in Eger, we took a taxi to our accommodation located on Little Dobó Square (Kis-Dobó Tér), below Eger Castle.
Little Dobó Square (Kis-Dobó Tér) (our accommodation is on the left)
Then we started touring Eger on foot.
Végvári vitézek tére and Gárdonoyi Géza tér:
First we saw two statues in Végvári vitézek tére related to the 1552 siege of Eger Castle by the Turks.
Two statues in Végvári vitézek tére
The first statue commemorates the warriors of Eger Castle and was created by Hungarian sculptor Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl in 2015.
Végvári Vitézek (Knights of the Border) monument
This successful resistance, a symbol of Hungarian national pride and resilience, was immortalized in Géza Gárdonyi’s novel Eclipse of the Crescent Moon (Egri Csillagok). This novel beings with Gergely Bornemissza and Éva Cecey as childhood friends and follows their journey into adulthood, set against the backdrop of 16th-century Hungary. Their love story unfolds alongside the heroic defense of Eger Castle, making them iconic characters in Hungarian historical fiction.
Statue of Gergely Bornemissza and Éva Cecey (Vicuska és Gergő szobra)
Then we crossed Eger Creek into Gárdonoyi Géza tér. Here we saw a statue of novelist Géza Gárdonyi, smoking his pipe, by László Kutas, created in 2016.
Statue of Novelist Géza Gárdony
Dobó Square (Dobó István Tér)
Then we walked to Dobó Square (Dobó István Tér), home of the István Dobó Statue, Minorite Church and Eger Town Hall.
Dobó Square (Dobó István Tér)
The square’s namesake and Eger’s greatest hero, István Dobó defended the city – and all of Hungary – from an Ottoman invasion in 1552. Next to Dobó is his co-commander, István Mekcsey. And right at their side is one of the brave women of Eger – depicted here throwing a pot down onto the attackers.
István Dobó Statue
Minorite Church
Eger Town Hall
Fountain
Minorite Church
We toured this church, said to be the most beautiful Baroque church in Hungary.
Nave
Ceiling Frescoes
The second ceiling fresco is of the church’s patron, St. Anthony of Padua, who preaches God’s word to the fishes.
St. Anthony of Padua preaching to the fishes
The pews are hand-carved, and there are several side chapels.
Hand-carved Wooden Pews
Side Chapels
There is an ornate pulpit and main altar.
Pulpit
Main Altar
Main Altar (detail)
Érsek utca:
From Dobó Square (Dobó István Tér), we walked down Érsek utca, passing an unusual handicrafts store on the way.
Zefír Rövidáru Kézimunka Szaküzlet (Zefír Haberdashery Handicrafts Specialty Store)
Eger Archbishop’s Palace and Garden Courtyard
At the end of Érsek utca is the Eger Archbishop’s Palace and Garden Courtyard, with a couple of saints’ statues and a fountain.
Gate to grand garden courtyard of the Archbishop’s Palace
Archbishop’s Palace and Garden Courtyard
Statue of St. István (Stephen)
Statue of St. Erzsébet (Elisabeth)
Eszterházy tér
We then walked to Eszterházy tér, home of the Eger Lyceum (Eger’s teacher-training college) and the Eger Cathedral.
View of the Eger Lyceum
View of the Eger Cathedral
Eszterházy tér also has a statue of Bishop Károly Eszterházy, the founder of the Lyceum (egri püspök = Bishop of Eger | az egyetem alapítója = university founder).
Statue of Bishop Károly Eszterházy
Eger Lyceum Baroque Library
Next we visited the Eger Lyceum Baroque Library. The library houses 60,000 books (here and in the two adjoining rooms, with several stacked two deep), all cataloged carefully.
Entrance to the Baroque Library
Lyceum Baroque Library
The highlight of the library is its beautiful ceiling fresco, dating from 1778.
Ceiling Fresco
According to Rick Steves, the founder of the Lyceum, Bishop Károly Eszterházy, is featured in the second row to the right of the podium (not wearing a hat).
Bishop Károly Eszterházy, who founded the Lyceum and for whom the library is named
There is also a portrait of this bishop in the library.
Portrait of Bishop Károly Eszterházy
There were several display cases surrounding the library. We were directed to case #1 with the following valuable items:
Display Case #1
Latin translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy by Joannes Serravale from 1417
Mozart’s Hand-Written Letter to His Sister at the Time of the Death of Their Father
Miskolczi Missal from 1394
Eger Cathedral
After seeing the Lyceum Baroque Library, we crossed over Eszterházy tér to see the Eger Cathedral.
We headed up the Cathedral Grand Staircase, surrounded by statues of saints István (Stephen) and László (Ladislaus) – Hungary’s first two Christian kings – and then the apostles Peter and Paul, all by Marco Casagrande (1836).
Eger Cathedral Grand Staircase
Statues of Saints István (Stephen) and László (Ladislaus)
Statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
The Eger Cathedral pediment is adorned with allegorical statues representing faith, love and hope.
Eger Cathedral Pediment
We walked through large, engraved double doors.
Cathedral Doors
Just inside the cathedral, there were several statues.
Statue of Saint Maksymilian Kolbe
Statue of Saint Rita of Cascia
Bust of Hungarian Cardinal József Mindszenty
We then moved to the nave and the wonderful ceiling fresco above.
Nave
On the left, the ceilng fresco shows Hungarians in traditional dress; and on the right, the country’s most important historical figures. At the bottom, you see this cathedral, celestially connected with St. Peter’s in Rome (opposite).
Ceiling Fresco
We then walked down the nave to see the main dome.
Main Dome
In the transepts were beautiful stained-glass windows.
Stained-Glass Windows in the Transepts
The high altar of the Eger Cathedral is a monumental Neoclassical masterpiece, centered around a dramatic painting by István Takács depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
High Altar
Assumption of the Virgin Mary by István Takács
The pulpit and nave pipe organ were ornate, as well as the right and left side chapels.
Pulpit
Nave Pipe Organ
Left Side Chapel
Right Side Chapel
Turning around and facing the entry doors, we saw the second largest organ in Hungary.
Second Largest Organ in Hungary
Széchenyi István utca
We now walked north on Széchenyi István utca past the Archbishop’s Palace and Garden Court, McDonalds and various shops.
Nancy and a Friend
We eventually reached the Cistercian Church of St. Bernard (and the István Dobó High School – a former Jesuit College and once part of Cistercian Order).
Cistercian Church of St. Bernard
Dobó István Gimnázium (István Dobó High School) (formerly Jesuit College and part of Cistercian Order)
Here we turned left onto Csiky Sándor utca and went uphill to the…
Beatles Museum:
The museum is located in the Hotel Korona Eger, just a short walk from the town center. This is only one of five Beatles Museums in the World.
Entrance to the Beatles Museum
We saw an introductory film on the Beatles in the cellar, then toured their history chronologically through the museum.
Cellar – Introductory Film
Introductory Film
Early Beatles Memorabilia
Beatlesmania Memorabilia
Later Beatles Memorabilia
Petrény Winebar and Shop
To finish up our tour of Eger, we walked back to Little Dobó Square (Kis-Dobó Tér) and did a wine tasting of several different Eger regional wines.
Petrény Winebar and Shop
Our accommodation came with free dinner and breakfast which we enjoyed in the evening and following morning.
DAY FIVE – FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2026:
We had a short day, as we had to leave in the early afternoon for the Budapest Liszt Ferenc Airport for a flight from Budapest, Hungary to Kraków, Poland.
We first took a train from Eger back to Budapest.
Train Ride from Eger to Budapest
We then checked our bags at the handy AirportHub downtown storage facility owned by the Franz Lizst Airport, and headed via Uber to the…
New York Café
The New York Café opened its doors in 1894 on the ground floor of the New York Palace, right on Budapest’s Grand Boulevard. In no time, it became the beating heart of the city’s literary and artistic scene. Some of the greatest Hungarian writers—like Frigyes Karinthy, Dezső Kosztolányi, Zsigmond Móricz, and Mihály Babits—once worked and dreamed at these very tables. In fact, Ferenc Molnár even wrote his famous novel The Paul Street Boys right here.
New York Café
It was wildly popular then, and it still is today.
New York Café Interior
New York Café Ceiling
Nancy enjoying an Irish Coffee
Enjoying our Lunch at the New York Café
Legend has it that someone once threw the New York Café’s key into the Danube to ensure it would never close. To honor that story, Hungarian street artist Mihály Kolodko created a tiny statue of a diver holding a key to the New York Café.
Diver with a Key Mini Statue by Kolodko
Great Market Hall
Next we took an Uber to the Budapest Great Market Hall. Budapest’s Great Market Hall is a commotion of produce stands, butcher stalls, peppers, spices, and people. Paprika is everywhere, in varieties ranging from very sweet to very, very hot. There are even souvenirs.
Great Market Hall
Great Market Hall Interior
Meats Stall
Cheeses Stall
Paprika Stall
Souvenir Stalls
Nancy Looking for a Purse
Which came first – the chicken or the egg?
We also saw a couple of Kolodko mini statues within a block of the Great Market Hall.
Joan of Arc (Lisa Simpson) Mini Statue by Kolodko
Franz Josef Resting in a Hammock mini statue by Kolodko
We took Bus 100E (Airport Express) to the Franz Lizst Airport and saw our last Kolodko sculpture there.
Franz Lizst Mini Statue by Kolodko at the Franz Lizst Airport
That’s it for Budapest. We next flew to Kraków (through Warsaw) and other than Nancy’s bag being stuck in the baggage system temporarily (they finally found it!) we had no mishaps getting to our next destination.