Where to go?
Szentendre
Szentendre is the first place we come to going north from the capital on the Buda side of the River Danube. Possessing something of a Mediterranean atmosphere this town has always been favoured by artists as somewhere both to live and to work. It is still true today, as is witnessed by the number of museums and exhibitions devoted to the life and work of Szentendre-based artists.
Works of the artist and graphic designer Jen? Barcsay can be seen on Dumtsa Jen? utca, and probably the most famous of all, the ceramics of Margit Kovács are on display at No. 1 Vastagh György utca. Visitors are attracted to Szentendre not just by the charm and the atmosphere of the place, but by its excellent cuisine too. It is a town that more than once in history has been settled by Serbian immigrants, and this is reflected today in its houses and its beautiful churches with breathtaking iconostases. Szentendre is also the location of Hungary’s biggest outdoor museum or.
Visegrád
The remains of peel towers witness that Visegrád was at one time on the limes of the Roman Empire. Later, King Saint Stephen settled the religious hierarchy here and remains of his church have been uncovered behind Solomon’s Tower, named after the legend which says that the Hungarian Prince Solomon was imprisoned here. The whole area is dominated by the citadel high up on the hill, and even in its ruined state it is a formidable sight. The Royal Palace was built at the foot of the hill. It was originally Gothic in design, but was transformed into the Renaissance masterpiece contemporaries describe by King Matthias. We know, for example, from several sources that at great celebrations it wasn’t water that flowed from the exquisitely carved red marble fountains, but wine! With the help of British expertise this marvellous fountain has been reconstructed in the courtyard, and the garden replanted with flowers that are known to have been present in its heyday. Outdoor equestrian events, contests of strength, and mediæval festivals are staged in the summer months, with Renaissance feasts held in the citadel itself.
Esztergom
Just twelve miles further north from Visegrád is the Royal town of Esztergom, the first capital of Hungary and birthplace of King Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary. It remained a important royal and ecclesiastical centre for centuries; today the restored castle is an impressive museum and its great hall a venue for scientific conferences. The Basilica, commandingly situated atop Castle Hill, is Hungary’s largest church. One of its side chapels, the Bakócz Chapel, is amongst the finest monuments to the Renaissance anywhere in Hungary. The Cathedral Treasury is richly endowed, and is also open to visitors. Nearby is an important statue of King Saint Stephen; in the evening light, with the newly rebuilt Mária Valéria Bridge to Slovakia, it makes a stunning picture. The Christian Museum is situated in the Primate’s Palace, and its collection of Italian paintings, Gobelin tapestry, faience and porcelain is well worth seeing.
Százhalombatta
To the south-west of Budapest Százhalombatta takes us several millennia back into the past. It was once a centre of Hallstatt culture, and evidence has been uncovered of over a hundred tumuli containing the graves of the great and the good of the time. One has been opened up so that visitors can enter and see and hear a reconstruction of an ancient burial service. Many other traces of four-thousand-year-old life have also been discovered, and the Archæological Park contains reconstructed houses with likely furnishings and even foodstuffs, the latter of which can be tasted! A Family Day is held on every third Sunday of the month from May to September, when archæologists are on hand to entertain and inform.
Martonvásár
Martonvásár is situated just off the M7 motorway 19 miles south of Budapest. Its fame today rests on a famous visitor, the composer Beethoven. For a time he lived, taught and composed in the originally baroque but later neo-Gothic mansion house, where today there is a museum dedicated to his honour. Outdoor concerts are held in the summer months in the beautiful grounds.
Fót
The heyday of Fót, 10 miles east of Budapest, came with the ennoblement of the Károlyi Counts in 1808. Two of their biggest projects remain to this day the focal points of the town. The 107-room mansion was designed by Miklós Ybl and its harmonic, Classical lines put it in the top ten Hungarian historic monuments. It functioned until recently as a children’s home, and now one of its rooms is used to for civil weddings. Ybl was also responsible for the Catholic Church, built 150 years ago in Romantic style. The undercroft contains some rare Tenerani statues, and the ornamentation of the altar with semi-precious stones is noteworthy. The building has been beautifully restored. The organ was once played by Franz Liszt, and referring to the anniversary of this in a letter of his, Pope John Paul II once granted pilgrims who had assembled at the church a plenary indulgence.
Gödöll?
Gödöll? is less than 20 miles north-east of Budapest. Visitors from all over the world make this small diversion in order to see the beautifully restored Royal Palace. This was the favoured residence of Queen Elizabeth, who was affectionately known as Sissy and was the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph. Although Austrian the popular queen was very pro-Hungarian. Restoration work in the palace is likely to continue for some years yet. Several wings are ready already, but one of the projects that has only been fairly recently been completed is the reconstruction of the delightful baroque theatre. It is now the venue for performances of chamber music and opera. An interesting exhibition shows the state of dilapidation the palace was left in by the Russians. The Royal Pavilion in the grounds has also been reopened, and it is decorated with portraits of the various rulers of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Today the palace is also used as a select conference venue.
Religious tourism in and around Budapest
The Hungarians’ most precious religious relic is the Holy Right Hand of King Saint Stephen. It is on permanent display in Saint Stephen’s Basilica. On his feast day, 20th August, the hand is processed around the neighbouring streets as the climax of the traditional outdoor celebration of the mass.
There is a relic at Fót too, that of Saint Francisca. On the occasion of the church’s 150th anniversary the Pope granted pilgrims here assembled a plenary indulgence.
Máriabesny? has been a place of pilgrimage since the eighteenth century. A thirteenth century ivory statue of the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus was discovered when the foundations were being dug for the Loretto Chapel. It quickly acquire miraculous status and in 1992 the church was raised up to a Basilica Minor.
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