The Top 10 Sights of Budapest

Travel to Budapest completely without tourist traps! Here you will find a list of the top 10 sights of Budapest! What highlights and attractions you can not miss on vacation in Budapest?

The capital of Hungary is picturesquely situated on the Danube and is bursting with historical sights from the Budapest of the imperial and royal era and beyond. But modern and cultural institutions also characterize the cityscape, which is dominated by the beautifully green city mountain.

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Castle Palace

The brightly lit Castle Palace in Budapest at night with the Chain Bridge in the foreground, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

The impressive Castle Palace with its 62m high dome is the largest building in Budapest. It is located right next to the Castle District in the Buda district and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The former residence of the Hungarian kings houses numerous museums and the National Library of Hungary in its state rooms.

Article: Castle Palace in Budapest
Photo gallery: Castle Palace in Budapest

Matthias Church

At night, the brightly lit Matthias Church shines over the Castle Hill of Buda, Budapest, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

The magnificent Matthias Church in the middle of the Castle District is the most famous and beautiful church in Budapest. Visible from afar, the church on Trinity Square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sisi and Franz, the famous imperial couple of Austria, were crowned king and queen of Hungary here and King Bela III is buried here in a richly decorated sarcophagus.

Article: Matthias Church in Budapest

Fishermen's Bastion

Night view of the Castle District, the modern Hilton Hotel can be made out next to the brightly lit Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

Around the Matthias Church stretch the elegant walls of the Fishermen's Bastion, considered an architectural jewel on Castle Hill. It too is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and still houses remnants of the old city walls. Between the 7 towers, reminiscent of the 7 Magyar tribes, a sensational panoramic view of Budapest opens up.

Article: Fisherman's Bastion in Budapest Castle District

St. Stephen's Basilica

St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest on the square of the same name, Szent István tér by night, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

After Matthias Church, the majestic St . Stephen's Basilica is the most important church in Budapest and the third largest Roman Catholic basilica in Hungary. With the "Holy Right", the embalmed hand of King Stephen I, St. Stephen's Basilica houses Hungary's most valuable relic under its 96m high dome. Its balustrade, by the way, can be climbed and offers a fantastic view over the city.

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Article: St. Stephen's Basilica

Parliament building

Front view of the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest at night, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

Just like the dome of St. Stephen's Basilica, the dome of the magnificent Parliament building is exactly 96 meters high - as a symbol of the equality of spiritual and secular power. The second largest building in Budapest is enthroned directly on the banks of the Danube in the Pest district and houses, among other things, the Hungarian imperial insignia and the largest carpet in Europe.

Article: Budapest Parliament Building

State Opera

The State Opera House is located directly at the "Opera" station of the Földalatti metro line in Budapest, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

The Budapest State Opera is located just a few blocks from St. Stephen's Basilica and is said to offer the fourth best acoustics in the world. With its lavishly decorated Neo-Renaissance-style facade, the Budapest Opera House is also one of the most magnificent in the world. Guided tours of the house are offered almost daily - or you can make time for a performance!

Article: Budapest State Opera

Chain Bridge

The Chain Bridge has a length of 375m and connects Széchenyi István Square in downtown Pest with Adam Clark Square in front of Castle Hill in Buda, Budapest, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

Of our 7 most beautiful bridges connecting the districts of Buda and Pest in Hungary's capital, the Chain Bridge is the most famous. Probably because it was opened in 1849 as the first fixed bridge over the entire Danube. The 375m long bridge with the two triumphal arches was a tremendous feat of engineering at that time.

Article: Chain bridge in Budapest

Heroes' Square

The monumental Heroes' Square at the end of Andrássy út in Budapest is one of the most visited sights in Hungary's capital - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

Heroes' Square is the crowning glory of Budapest's famous boulevard Andrássy út. In the center rises the massive Millennium Monument and the majestic Colonnade, between whose columns are enthroned the statues of great Hungarian kings, to the left and right are two important art museums.

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Probably the most beautiful and famous square in the Hungarian capital is also home to a station on Europe's oldest subway line, which, like Heroes' Square itself, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Article: Heroes Square in Budapest

Gellért mountain

Gellért Hill in Budapest offers idyllic parks and walking paths surrounded by beautiful nature, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

On Budapest's green city hill, winding hiking trails lure visitors, leading through secluded forests to wonderful vantage points. Aside from nature recreation, Gellért Hill also offers historical sights, including the Gellért Monument, the Statue of Liberty, and the Citadel, whose bunkers house exhibitions about Hungary's wartime. A sight in its own right is the breathtaking panoramic view of the Danube with its bridges, Castle Hill and the Pest district.

Article: Gellért Hill in Budapest

House of terror

The House of Terror on Andrássy út is where Jews and opponents of Stalin were tortured and murdered for years; today it functions as a memorial, Budapest, Hungary - © James Camel / franks-travelbox
© James Camel / franks-travelbox

Speaking of wartime Hungary, the Terror Háza Múzeum at Vörösmarty utca station in Andrássy út also recounts one of the darkest periods in Budapest's history. During World War II and the Stalinist purges, countless people were tortured and murdered here. Photos, films and documents bring the terrible times back to life - not a museum for the faint-hearted!

Article: Terror Haza Museum (House of Terror) on Andrássy út in Budapest.

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