Buda Castle District Small-Group Walking Tour in Budapest

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Buda Castle, Szent Gyorgy Ter, Budapest 1014 Hungary

Two buildings stand out on Castle Hill, the oldest part of Budapest, known for its narrow and cobbled streets and its baroque and Gothic facades: the massive and imposing palace on the southern tip of the hill and the colored roof of Matthias Church in the middle, with its rank steeple pointing towards the heavens.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Buda Castle, Budapest, Szent György tér 2, 1014 Hungary

We start our tour at the palace, the ancient seat of royal power. It was rebuilt, extended, changed, burned down and rebuilt again several times over and it got its current eclectic appearances only after World War II. The first to build on Castle Hill was King Béla IV. He erected a fortress on this spot around 1250 after a devastating invasion by Mongolian hordes. In the Renaissance period, King Matthias made it into the most famous court in Europe at the end of the 15th century. Then came the Turkish pashas who ruled the country for over 150 years, followed by a succession of Hapsburg emperors.

Duration: 15 minutes

Pass By: National Dance Theatre, Szinhaz utca 1 - 3, Budapest 1014 Hungary

Discuss the changing function of the building throughout its history.

Stop At: Sandor Palace, Szent Gyorgy ter 1-2., Budapest 1014 Hungary

The Sándor Palace is the official residence of the President of Hungary, and the seat of the Office of the President. It has served as both since 2003. The original palace was build in Neoclassical style in 1806. It was commissioned by Count Vincent Sándor, an aristocrat and a philosopher of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Duration: 5 minutes

Stop At: Matthias Church, Szentharomsag ter 2, Budapest 1014 Hungary

A highlight of the tour is Matthias Church with its abundantly decorated roof and amazing interior. The church is a very finely executed Neogothic reconstruction fantasy from the end of the 19th century and it is a strikingly beautiful building.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Szentháromság tér, 1014 Hungary

Fisherman's Bastion is an architectural fantasy in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque styles designed and built between 1895 and 1902. Its seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin at the end of the 9th c. The terrace provides one of the most famous panoramic views of the Danube, Margaret Island, Pest and the Gellért Hill.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Vienna Gate, Budapest, Bécsikapu tér, 1014 Hungary

Our tour ends at the Vienna Gate, from where you can see all the way to Obuda (Old Buda), where the Romans founded the city then called Aquincum.

Duration: 10 minutes