Sightseeing in the modern Budapest



Budapest has many great and beautiful old buildings, from 17-18-19th centuries, but time did not stop and Budapest has a number of nice modern building as well built in the last 20-21st centuries.

Megyeri Bridge


megyeri bridge budapest

Megyeri is the newest bridge over the Danube, located on the northern side of Budapest. Total lenght is 1.862m. It has an interesting story of how it got its name,
History of Megyeri Bridge from www.bridgesofbudapest.com
The Ministry of Economy and Traffic announced a two-round internet voting eagerly followed by the media. The voting became internationally noted when two global news agencies (Bloomberg and Reuters) proclaimed from the housetops: the chance to name the new bridge after action star Chuck Norris is fairly big. It was then that the American showman Stephen Colbert started his media fight and in his comedy program, The Colbert Report he dwelled at length on the voting asking the viewers to help him to godfather of a bridge. The next day he already reported that he was preceded only by Miklos Zrinyi, calling the 16th century Hungarian hero an "asshole". Finally Colbert easily won the first round, then continuing his media campaign he scored a victory in the second round ending on September 8, 2006, too, closely followed by Jon Stewart and Miklos Zrinyi.
On September 14, 2006 Andras Simonyi, Hungarian ambassador to the USA announced Stephen Colbert's triumph in The Colbert Report. Colbert's enthusiasm was cooled by when he explained, that two things are necessary for him to give his name to the bridge: on the one hand he must speak Hungarian fluently, on the other hand he must be dead. After clearing the rules he invited Colbert to Hungary to personally see the building operations. On September 28, 2006 the final name of the bridge was announced. Since it connects Kaposztasmegyer and Bekasmegyer, the Hungarian Committee of Geographical Names decided for the name Megyeri Bridge in spite of the fact that it did not make it to the second round.

How can you see this sight? The Megyeri Bridge can be reached by the bus number 204, which crosses the bridge. You can take it on the Pest side at the Ujpest-Kozpont station of the underground line 3, on the Buda side at the Bekasmegyer station of the suburban railways (HEV). By car take the main road number 2 from the Pest side (Vaci str) or the M0 beltway, from the Buda side the main road number 11 (Szentendrei ut).

National Theatre, Budapest


National Theatre, Budapest

The National Theatre is the most distinguished venue for plays in Hungary. Although there has been a Hungarian theatre in Budapest for the last 150 years, it has only had a permanent and suitable home for theatregoers since 15th March 2002. The Great Hall seats 619 people; the auditorium is tiered.
The Studio Theatre, seating 150 people, was built under the ground-floor entrance-hall and the auditorium. Plays in English are regularly performed in the Studio Theatre. The establishment of a permanent National Theatre has a long history. Funded by donations, the building of the Pest Hungarian Theatre was opened in Pest on 22nd August 1837. The 1840 Parliament gave the establishment its name, the National Theatre. Its temporary building, built in 1837, became out of date and therefore had to be pulled down and the National Theatre moved into the empty building of the People's Theatre on Lujza Blaha Square in 1908. After hosting the theatre for half a century, the graceful, old building was blown up in March 1965 in order to build the underground railway. The theatre temporarily moved into Nagymezo Street, and then into the building of the Hungarian Theatre on Sandor Hevesi Square.

How can you see this sight? Take HEV to Csepel island from Boraros square (on the pest side of the Szabadsag-freedom-bridge) or take on the tram number 1, and that is the last stop.
Would you like to get a ticket?

Palace of Arts, Budapest


Palace of Arts, Budapest

The Palace of Arts is a venue unique in Central Europe. All branches of conventional and avant-garde arts coexist here in a fruitful relationship.
The Ludwig Museum, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, Choir and Musical Library , and the National Dance Theatre are permanent residents of the building. The Festival Theatre seating nearly 500 people and the National Concert Hall accommodating an audience of more than 1,800 are also part of the building, amongst other impressive and multi-functional locations. Visitors can choose from numerous forms of music, dance, and fine art events. Besides the renowned artists, young up-and-coming talents also have the chance to present themselves. Various programmes are offered throughout the day in the Palace of Arts and the following amenities can all be found in the building: buffets, restaurant, cafe, Internet cafe, panorama terraces, gift- and bookshops. Situated on the Danube bank close to the Hungarian National Theatre this cultural and social centre is a unique architectural sight. The ground space of the building complex is more than 10,000 square metres; the total inner space extends to 64,000 square metres. If all the seats of the Palace of Arts were filled at the same time, almost 4,500 people would be present.



How can you see this sight?Palace of Arts is really next to the National Theatre
Check out what's on the Palace of Arts
See what others said about Palace of Arts on Tripadvisor

Shoes on the Danube embankment


budapest, memento of holocaust

This world-famous composition, which comprises 60 pairs of metal shoes set in concrete on the Danube embankment, was set up in the year 2005. It commemorates the Hungarian Jewish victims of the killings committed by the Arrow Cross militiamen, the pro-German, anti-Semitic, national socialist party members of Hungary in 1944-1945. The killings usually took place en masse - the victims were lined up at the embankment, and shot into the Danube, execution-style. At three separate places of the memorial, cast iron signs read in Hungarian, English and Hebrew: "To the memory of victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944-45". This is a very simple but very moving memorial.

The Bay of Lagymanyos


budapest lagymanyos bay

The currently 15 hectare, first private investment public park in Újbuda surrounding Lagymanyosi bay and fenced off by Kopaszi dike provides those wishing to relax, ease out or do sports with an outstanding opportunity to do so in a newly developed natural area possessing unique environmental characteristics. While staying in the park Visitors are kindly asked to take care of the valuable surrounding and natural beauties, the paths and walkways, the renovated as well as the newly built buildings will be preserved and thus serve the residents of the district together with our common goal to have maintain a close relationship with our natural environment. It's like Scandinavia...

Renovated Bridge of Freedom


budapest bridge of freedom

Originally it was built in 1896, during the times of the Austro-Hungarian Monarch. The bridge was destroyed in the 2nd world war (as all the other bridges in budapest), but than rebuilt. But it wasn't renovated for 30years till now. Now you can walk over the danube on the new Bridge of Freedom, which connects Buda and Pest. The end in Buda is almost the Hotel Gellert.

Orco Palace


budapest vorosmarty square

Orco's new shopping and office mall is on the main tourist spot of Budapest at Vorosmarty square. Vorosmarty square is a small, but popular place at the end of the shopping street Vaci. The square gives home of airline offices, restaurants, cafes, the famous Gerbeaud, casinos and the annual xmas market as well.
Orco built a shopping mall on the left hand side of the square, with radical new design, looking like a cube. It is a must to see if you are near , at least from the outside.

How can you see this sight?It is on the Vorosmarty square, accessable by yellow underground, or bus 7,73 from Keleti station, or on foot from Deak Ferenc square

CET Budapest

cet, Budapest

CET (the word means whale, which rythim with the shape of the building) is a shopping/cultural area of Budapest buzzing new southern part (where the new National Theatre and the Palace of Arts is) on the Pest side of the river.
Old warehouses were turned into a new project by Kas Oosterhuis. The CET will provide shopping and cultural area among the Danube river. It will open shortly (hopefully)...
See the official page

Combino Tram


budapest combino

And finally the new tram of Budapest, the Siemens made Combinos, which goes on the line 4, 6. Tram can be used as sightseeing tool, as it goes along the main boulevard through the Margaret bridge to Moscow square and Deli (southern) train station.

Back to Budapest main page