History and Attractions
Historic building in a historic city
Formerly known as Adria Palace built between 1914 and 1918 to host the Italian Adria Insurance Company, this pre-modern office and apartment building was designed in 1913. The 14 apartments of the highest standard were accessible from the back of the building on Deák Ferenc street, while the entrance to the offices was in the front, on Erzsébet square. On the ground floor there were luxurious shops, and studios in the attic. Thanks to its fine elegance, classical nobility and ideal location, this stone covered building not only represented an outstanding architectural quality, but has also been declared a historic monument. The Adria palace was badly damaged by a bomb during World War II and was partly burned down. The apartments and shops came to an end when the headquarters of the Budapest Police moved in and stayed until 1997. After the reconstructions works started in 1998, Le Méridien Budapest Hotel five star luxury hotel opened in 2000. Erzsébet square was named in 1857 after Queen Elisabeth (Erzsébet), known as empress Sissi.
Budapest
There are plenty of other capital cities built on the banks of a river, and in many cases the river runs through the historic centre. But such a wide and majestic river, as is the Danube of Budapest, is more of a rarity. Even more exceptional is the perfect contrast between the right and left banks. Buda is built upon hills, the feet of two of them - Castle Hill and Gellért Hill - almost stand in the water. Facing it is Pest, as flat as a pancake (or, as a Hungarian might say, as flat as a 'lángos', a pita-type bread popular for many a century).
At the time of the Magyar Conquest in 896, the first Hungarian tribes settled in the plains to the east. They migrated to the hills further west later on to take advantage of the greater protection they offered. Buda became the royal seat in the thirteenth century and saw the court's rising status reflected in the building of ever more splendid palaces and the expansion of the town into a flowering middle class town. Pest at this time was a town of merchants and artisans. In the history of Budapest the year 1872 stands out as a milestone, for it was then that the three separate settlements of Pest, Buda, and Óbuda (literally 'Old'Buda) were united. Budapest officially became the capital city of Hungary and underwent rapid growth in size and eminence. This was the city's golden age and coincided with the Hungarian millennial celebrations in 1896. The Hungarian capital has undoubtedly a rather rich historic and cultural background in both architecture and music. Budapest is also known as the city of spas, uniquely rich in thermal waters providing excellent medicinal therapies. Even the Celts, the Romans and the Turks used the thermal springs of the Buda side.
It would be difficult to find another city where visitors are faced with such a choice of transport: bus, tram, trolleybus, train, underground railway, cogwheel railway, funicular, forest railway, horse-and-trap, chair-lift, boat, bicycle, and on Margaret Island 'bringóhintó' family cycle cars - Budapest has them all. Let's choose one and set off in the World Heritage streets.
Some of the local attractions:
· Fine Arts Museum 3.0 km/1.8 miles
· National Gallery 1 km/0.6 miles
· Casino 0.1 km/0.0 miles
· Opera House 0.5 km/0.3 miles
· Parliament Buildings 1.0 km/0.6 miles
· Heroes’ Square 3.0 km/1.9 miles
· Castle district 1.0 km/0.6 miles
· Széchenyi Thermal Baths 3.0 km/1.9 miles
· Vajdahunyad Castle 3.0 km/1.9 miles
· St Stephen’s Basilica 0.2 km/0.1 miles
· Trafo House of Contemporary Arts 2 km/1.2 miles