Royal Palace Buda
Royal Palace Buda
The large, gothic styled Royal Palace was built in the first half of the 14th Century in the Buda Castle district, which became famous Europe-wide. In 1686 it was a heap of ruins, having witnessed the bloody battles of its re-conquer from the invading Turkish by the Christian forces. In 1715, a new, smaller palace was erected over the wrecks. During the reign of Maria Theresa, however, a larger palace was built with 203 rooms. The Habsburg rulers never actually lived in the palace, but used it as their residence on their occasional visits to Buda. The expansion works began in 1890 and the neo-baroque styled Palace was completed in 1903, which unfortunately almost completely burned down in 1945. The rebuilding process of its massive structure began in 1950 and today you may find the Hungarian Central Library , the Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galeria) and numerous other museums on its premises.
Budapest the capital city of Hungary
The Matthias Church Budapest
The Matthias Church can be found in the centre of the Buda Castle district, beside the Halaszbastya. The church was appointed in dedication to the Virgin Mary, yet it is quoted by the name of the legendary Hungarian king, Matthias (Matyas) who ordered the building of its sixty (60) meter tall tower. It was also the scene of coronation celebrations and royal weddings. Also buried here in their ornamented sarcophaguses are King Bela III. and his wife. Built in gothic style, during the Turkish reign the building was converted into a mosque (hence the holes on the ceiling). It gained its current state at the turn of the 19th-20th Century. In its crypt is a fine museum. Today, it gives home to pipe-organ and classical music concerts almost everyday.
How to get to Matthias Church
Take red underground till Moscow square (Moszkva ter), small bus (Varbusz) departure from opposite the underground station, on the top of the small hill.
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