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