February 25
February 25, 2009
We’re in Budapest on Jen’s Fullbright to Corvinus University. I’m setting up this blog for Jen and we will post a few pictures from time to time.
Enjoy.
Door Lion
If you look carefully, you’ll find quite a few ornate wood carvings decorating buildings, interiors, furniture and the like. This lion is from a pair that look out across the Danube River just south of the Margaret Bridge on the Pest side. This one was cracked and I thought that made it more interesting.
Hungarian Parliament
The Hungarian Parliament echos the English Parliament building, I think. This picture shows some of the many spires against the backdrop of the buildings main dome. The small copper-green statues are of at least three different types: one is bird-like, one is cat-like, and one is man-like. We’ve been told that the exterior of the building turned nearly black from air pollution during the Soviet Era and part is still being cleaned. There are monuments to the protests and deaths that occurred in front of this building during the 1956 revolution.
Chain Bridge
This is a picture of the Chain Bridge looking west toward Buda. This bridge was destroyed during WWII. I’ve seen pictures of the bridge with the spans in the water but the towers were still standing. The road way for the bridge on the Buda side travels through a tunnel directly under the Castle District. Also in that hill are the Labyrinths, and a series of caves used as a hospital and command center by the German army. A guide told us that those caves were where Hungarians sheltered during the various wars over the centuries.
Bow of Boat
This decoration was one of a set spotted around the corner from our flat and surprised me because of the boat and the squidy legs here in what is now a landlocked country. Not too far away from this boat is a memorial to Hungarian fishermen who lost their lives at sea called Fisherman’s Bastion.
Castle Buildings
I think these might be my favorite view of the Castle District and we can see it from the tram stop in Vigado Ter which is right near our flat. This was a day that was mostly cloudy and snow had fallen during the previous days. This view is from the Pest side looking across the Danube.
Skull at Church
This skull adorns the top of a doorway which is blocked by two heavy black iron doors. Its just off a little courtyard next to what is called the ‘City District Church’. During the Soviet Era this church was threatened with demolition because it was in the way of the Elizabeth Bridge rebuild. It was saved, and the roadway for the bridge runs right along the southern walls of the church. The outside of the church is rough, but its an active place, services were going on when I took the picture.
Jen, John, and Kelly at Hero's Square
At this square are two art museums, a set of ‘faux castles’ built to showcase Hungarian castles all over the country, a skating rink, a geothermal pond (the ducks are warm), the zoo, a circus, and the Szechenyi Baths. In the middle of the square are a set of monuments mostly recalling the seven tribes that came together in this area to form the Magyars (Hungarians).
Jen in Sechenyi Baths
This picture was taken inside the main lobby of the Szechenyi Baths and it doesn’t do it justice. The place is gorgeous with beautiful mosaics.
Horse Sculptures in Hero's Square
Details from a couple of horse sculptures of the main monument in the Square. Each of the seven chieftains is mounted on a horse. I think my favorite is Huba’s horse because its armor features a set of antlers.
Parliament from the Castle District
I think John may have taken this picture. This is just another picture of the Parliament from the vantage point of the Castle District. Note the scaffolding on the right front corner.
Kelly and Pest from the Castle District
Kelly, photogenic as usual, standing in front of a wall with Pest stretching out behind her. Buda is very hilly, Pest is very flat. Down in the lower left you can see the Chain Bridge.
Saint Istvan Sculpture Castle District
Saint Stephen stands near Mathias Church behind the Fisherman’s Bastion.
Matyas Church Roof in Castle District
This church sits behind the Fisherman’s Bastion in the Castle District and was undergoing some roof renovations while we were there. The building is beautiful and the views from this area are great. According to the guide books, this roof is new – though there are similar roofs on several of the historic buildings in Budapest. Apparently, this roof replaced a rather plain older one that was damaged during a fire caused by Soviet shelling of the Castle District. The Soviets were trying to dislodge the German’s who were occupying the area during WWII.
Dragon at Fisherman's Bastion
This picture was taken on a newly restored section of Fisherman’s Bastion. Below the Bastion is a section of Buda where all the fisherman lived in previous times. The place was full of fish markets. At some point, one of the Kings built the Fisherman’s Bastion and the fisherman agreed to defend the Castle from the Bastion if anything happened. The fisherman are all gone and hopefully there won’t be anymore invasions, but the area with its walls and towers is beautiful.
