When Obuda, Buda and Pest were united in 1873, the Hungarian
capital was a medium-sized city of 300,000 inhabitants, the
seventeenth largest European city. The hills of Buda are separated
from Pest by Danube.
Buda is an old royal city and the historic Castle District,
the northern part of Castle Hill is an awesome attraction for
visitors, from where there is a marvelous view of the city.
The main attractions are the massive, neo-Gothic Parliament
Building, that stands in Kossuth Lajos tér by the Danube and
the Heroes' Square, one of the largest and most impressive spaces
in Budapest. On the square stands a complex of statues and sculptures
known as the Millenary Monument.
The streets in the northern part of the Castle District are
often very quiet. Nevertheless, they contain several museums
and a number of interesting buildings.
The Central Pest is one of the pleasantest strolls in Budapest
is along the Pest embankment, between Elizabeth Bridge and the
Chain Bridge. This pedestrianised way is known as The Corso
and has been a popular spot for decades. The views from here
of the bridges, the river, Gellért Hill and Castle Hill are
superb.
The view over the city from the top of Gellért Hill is quite
spectacular, as is the close-up view of the Liberation Monument,
the huge female figure holding aloft a palm leaf. The statue
was erected in 1947 to mark the freeing of the city from German
occupation by Soviet troops
