The Nemzeti Vágta, or the National Gallop is the grandest of festivals on the grandest of scales. Organized for the 14th time since its inception in 2008, the National Gallop pay homage to the Hungary’s ancestry and tradition of horse riding.
Every year, the Heroes’ Square in Budapest is “transformed into a racetrack with 6,200 square meters’ worth of special equine-friendly sand. Grandstands in front of the two museums that flank the square, the biggest screens you’ve ever seen broadcasting the action, flags flying” the websitesays.
Last year, the pandemic struck, but the National Gallop was still held, although behind closed doors. This year, however, the National Gallop was held normally with great attendance between the 2nd and the 3rd of October.
14th National Gallop in Hungary
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
14th National Gallop in Hungary
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
14th National Gallop in Hungary
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
The event hosted several races such as chariot races, show jumping, young hussar category and there was even a celebrity run, but the main focus was the thoroughbred type race. Through twelve preliminary rounds and five rounds of elimination, the winner was the Hungarian city of Szabadka, represented by Nikolett Szabó on the 9-year-old Gidrán (Hungarian Anglo-Arab) mare called Pipacs (Poppy).
14th National Gallop in Hungary
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
Winner of the 14th National Gallop, Nikolett Szabó
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
The winner receives a the National Gallop’s wandering award, an 1848 hussar sabre and a monetary prize of five million forints (€ 14,285).
There was also an international race, where countries, such as the UK, Romania, Turkey, Austria, the Czech Republic, India, Mongolia, Italy, Croatia and others competed for who has the best horse and rider.
14th National Gallop in Hungary
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
Winner of the 14th National Gallop’s ‘young hussar’ competition, Fanni Hajdu
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
After only two rounds of semifinals, only six countries remained. Unfortunately, the hosting country, Hungary was not among them. The winner was the Czech Republic represented by Lukáš Vladyka. India places second and Austria finished third.
Winner of the 14th National Gallop’s international race, the Czech Lukáš Vladyka
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
14th National Gallop in Hungary
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
Winner of the 14th National Gallop’s international race, the Czech Lukáš Vladyka
Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
During the autumn, it is worth taking advantage of the upcoming sunny days to take exciting tours in the Hungarian capital. Prepare your backpack! Here are some of the most wonderful excursion sites in Budapest that you should not miss this autumn.
1. Elizabeth Lookout Tower and Normafa Park
The Elizabeth Lookout Tower in Budapest is one of the most popular excursion destinations, also known as the jewel of Normafa Park. The impressive lookout tower located on János Hill is set 527 metres above sea level, with which
it is the highest point of Budapest, offering a breathtaking panorama of the Hungarian capital.
The building was designed by Frigyes Schulek and was handed over in 1910 after nearly two years of construction based on his ideas. According to Trekhunt, the building has a perfect circular floor plan with four terraces, the tallest being at the top of a small tower. These can be accessed through a double-spiral staircase that leads to the top level where it is worth spending more time as it offers a wonderful panoramic view. In case of good weather, besides the Pilis and Visegrád Mountains, you can also see the High Tatras.
The lookout tower can be entered free of charge. It is open from 8 am to 8 pm. Visitors can enjoy a little café on the ground floor, while one level above there is a historical exhibition of the lookout tower. It can be reached by bus from Széll Kálmán Square, as well as from the upper station of Chair-Lift, the Children’s Railway or the Flower Valley Railway Station.
2. Gellért Hill
Gellért Hill is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Budapest, also known as one of the most beautiful viewpoints of the city. When visiting Gellért Hill, we can discover several tourist attractions of the Hungarian capital, including the Citadel, the Statue of Liberty, the Rock Church, and the Great Falls.
As Funiq reports, the 235-metre-high mountain was declared
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 because of its geographically and historically significant attractions, including the Citadel at the top of the mountain and the breathtaking panorama of the two banks of the Danube.
The hill bears the name of Bishop Gellért. According to legends, in 1046 the participants of the Vata pagan rebellion pushed Bishop Gellért into the abyss from the rocky Danube side of the mountain. Although the trustworthiness of the legend is questionable, from the 15th century on, the mountain has been called St. Gellért Hill, writes Wikipédia.
3. Margaret Island
Photo: YouTube John Feher – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBaoct6LizAk_8lhsx6It1Q
The 2.5-kilometre-long green oasis of Budapest is the perfect destination for excursions either in winter or summer. The island is located at Margaret Bridge, on the River Danube, covered by landscape parks and popular recreational areas. As we previously reported, Margaret Island was originally called the Island of Rabbits where several monasteries and convents could be found. In the early 1800s, the royal family conjured an ornate garden out of it. In 1869, Margaret Island was opened to the public, and a health resort was opened, the medicinal waters of which were popular among the people. Today, you can enjoy all kinds of activities here, from the ancient ruins to the Olympic-sized outdoor pool.
4. City Park
Budapest City Park, which is being renewed within the framework of the Liget Project, can also be listed among the most significant excursion destinations during autumn time. The City Park was the main venue of the 1896 Millennium celebrations in Hungary, by which time Andrássy Avenue, the Millennium Underground, and the Grand Boulevard were built.
City Park is a World Heritage Site, along with Andrássy Avenue and its historical surroundings.
Photo: facebook.com/miligetunk
The green oasis in the 14th district of Budapest offers a wide range of historical (Vajda Hunyad Castle), cultural (Museum of Fine Arts, Hall of Art), and sports activities for all generations. The currently ongoing developments can be checked out HERE.
5. Three Border Mountain
Photo: www.facebook.com/Zotphoto/
The name of the mountain, which is part of the Buda Hills, is not accidental as it borders three cities (Buda, Óbuda, Pesthidegkút) which met at this point in the 19th century. As Wikipédia reports, the mountain is located 495 metres above sea level and is a popular place for hiking, biking, and paragliding. Excursionists can choose from several trails in the area, but the only one that reaches the top is the Country Blue Trail, at the end of which a restaurant can be enjoyed after an exhausting tour.
+1. Cave of Paul Valley
Photo: https://www.youtube.com/Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság/
The Cave of Paul Valley is the longest cave in Hungary, characterised by high, fissure-like corridors, large level differences, spherical busts, and stalactites dissolved by thermal waters. The total length of the cave currently exceeds 32 kilometres. During the tour, we can admire fabulous stalactites, special rock formations, fossils, sparkling calcite crystals, and mineral deposits on a 500-metre-long built route, reported Jegymester.
Thanks to the continuous developments and modern lighting, impressive and safe sidewalks can be enjoyed during the tour for about 1 hour, accompanied by a professional guide. Next to the inn, there is a huge green park for outdoor games.
Even though some tourism service providers have started to recover this summer, tourist bus operators are still in a critical situation. The circumstances are further aggravated by the issue of parking, as several attractions of Budapest will not be accessible by tourist buses soon.
As boat hotel tourism is already showing signs of life in Budapest, it would be necessary for local businesses – including tourist bus operators – to generate revenue from the recovery – said Gábor Dittel, Executive Secretary of the National Carrier Industry Association of Private Entrepreneurs. This could be resolved by an intensive organisation of sightseeing programs for tourist groups and the accessibility of the touristic sights included in the programs by bus.
However, as a result of the pandemic, tourist bus operators are still in a critical situation aggravated by additional issues.
In addition to the currently negligible backlog of orders, a further negative factor is that several boat hotels in Budapest are collaborating with Swiss and German bus partners who also transport the groups to nearby attractions
– reported by the Hungarian news portal Világgazdaság. As a result, the classical sightseeing tourist buses of Budapest fail to reach the most popular attractions of the Hungarian capital.
Furthermore, the question of parking has not been resolved for the time being.
By way of example, one of Budapest’s most important attractions, the Hungarian Parliament, cannot be accessed by tourist buses due to the closed lower quay and the partially pedestrian zone of Constitution Street; the City Park has also become an area that is difficult to access due to event closures and planned car exemptions. According to the recent plans, tourist buses will be banned from the Gellért Hill as well, similarly to the Buda Castle that will only be accessible by electric minibuses. The logistics implementation is still a matter for the future.
Plannability and predictability are extremely important to tourism service providers. The existing difficulties cause serious problems even with low traffic. Therefore, it is important to prepare in advance for an unexpected, chaotic situation – commented the expert, who is hoping that, sooner or later, it will be possible to get a suitable place, role and operating conditions for bus tourism in Budapest.
The world-famous Hollywood actor, John Travolta, has come to Budapest to visit his daughter, Elle Bleu Travolta, who is filming her first movie, starring in the large-scale American-Hungarian co-production entitled Get Lost, the shooting of which started at the end of July in Hungary.
John Travolta arrived in Budapest yesterday to visit his daughter, Elle Bleu Travolta, who is filming her first movie in the large-scale American-Hungarian co-production entitled Get Lost.
According to 24.hu, the multiple Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning actor will also visit the filming location of Get Lost and will later also meet the directors of the National Film Institute.
The shooting of Get Lost started at the end of July. In the film, Hungary brings Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland to life:
the film will be shot in such spectacular places as the castles of Aszód and Tura, the Danube Bend, the Fisherman’s Bastion, Heroes’ Square, Gellért Hotel, the Vajdahunyad Castle, and the Operetta Theatre.
The production is supported by the National Film Institute with a subsidy of EUR 515,900 (~HUF 180 million), within the framework of which more than 60 Hungarian professionals will work in the co-production of the Hungarian Filmsquad and the American Patriot Pictures.
The protagonist of Get Lost, Alicia (Ella Bleu Travolta), is a young, insecure girl who tries to find herself again after her mother’s death, lost on a trip around Europe. Her only purpose and desire is to fulfil her mother’s last wish. Along the way, she encounters many obstacles and challenges, reaches Wonderland, the mystical Budapest, where she is faced with a big decision: she chooses Wonderland and lives the rest of her life in the tale or returns to reality and then enters the path of becoming an adult, reported Hungarian news portal Blikk.
According to the plans, the 700-meter-long suspension bridge will be constructed between the two mountain peaks of Sátoraljaújhely (Zemplén) for EUR 11.3 million (~HUF 4 billion).
A new pedestrian bridge project will be carried out in Hungary in the mountain peaks of Zemplén. As the Hungarian news portal Magyar Építők reports, the public procurement of the extralarge suspended bridge has been won by Graboplan Industrie Ltd., which will carry out the project from EUR 11.3 million (~HUF 4 billion).
The procurement has been realised for the second time after it had ended unsuccessfully for the first time in March. The reason then was that the financial resource of EUR 7.9 million (~HUF 2.8 billion) available at that time was not enough to conclude the contract. Since then, it seems that the budget has increased to carry out the project – reported by Portfolio.
For visitors, the bridge will be approachable from the hiking trails that will be built on Várhegy and Szárhegy, as well as those connected to existing roads and promenades.
The area of the bridgeheads can only be entered within the opening hours of the Zemplén Adventure Park, after buying an entrance ticket.
The pedestrian bridge will be built of modern and durable materials in a unique rope bridge design, similar to Inca rope bridges. The bridge will be an extremely motion- and vibration-sensitive structure, safe only with a designed tethered wind cable system to ensure stability.
Photo: www.youtube.com/Zemplén Televízió/
The walking surface of the bridge will be 1.2 meters wide and
the span of the bridge will be 700 meters, making it the longest suspension bridge in the world.
Photo: www.youtube.com/Zemplén Televízió/
The bridge’s structure is a rope bridge, i.e. the cables stretched between the gripping points are the main load-bearing elements of the bridge. Based on the plans, the middle section, which is several hundred meters long, will be pleasantly walkable, almost horizontal. The installation and assembly of the steel structure – without rope elements – is a minimum of 140 tons.
The Hungarian “Hollywood” film studio is planned to be built by one of the wealthiest Hungarians, István Garancsi. It would attract the productions of Disney – also Marvel Studios – and Netflix to Hungary. The future of the complex will soon be decided on.
The plans of the modern, gigantic-sized film studio complex are in the preparation phase, which can be linked to the company of István Garancsi, one of the wealthiest Hungarians, who dreamed up Hungary’s Hollywood studio with the involvement of American experts. As far as the location is concerned, it is most likely that the complex will be located near Lake Omsk and the Danube bank in Budakalász. As the Hungarian news portal Index reports, the idea for the gigantic film studio was born in April this year. Based on current plans, it will be a spectacular building complex with eight floors, comprising 24-26 meters high, 120-150 meters long and 60 meters wide objects.
Accordingly, it is more than possible that Disney and Netflix productions would also be shot in Hungary.
The film studio is planned to be built on the outskirts of Budakalász, near Lake Omsk and the banks of the Danube, on a 26-hectare arable land, of which the investor would use 16 hectares for the construction of the complex. The building rights for the area are still in question that the municipality can approve.
However, the idea of building the film studio is divisive among locals – some people support it, others do not at all.
That is why it is still questionable whether the project will get the necessary permits for the construction.
The realisation of the project has several benefits for the municipality of Budakalász, including a one-time HUF 100-120 million paid by the investor for the land, an annual payment of nearly HUF 200 million as a business, land and building tax for the film studio, from which many local developments could take place in the future. For the support of studio construction, it has already been said that while road traffic could increase, it would not cause traffic jams because a shoot typically takes 14-16 hours, starts at dawn and lasts until late at night. Therefore, filmmakers would normally commute to the studio in Budakalász outside of peak hours. Additionally, it is also important to mention that the film studio may create jobs for locals in the future.
However, some risks are also considered, including the spectacle of the planned film studio and the disappearance of another green area in Budapest in a Danube section protected by Natura 2000. Additionally, from a meteorological point of view, the construction of the film studio could cause many difficulties for the neighbouring popular Budapest’s Lupa Beach causing thunderstorm cloud formation and rainfalls in the area.
Based on these considerations, a representative poll among locals is currently underway, the results of which are expected to be published by the Budakalász Board of Representatives within days. After that, they will soon decide whether they approve the rights that will make the project feasible.
There are more than 4,100 caves in Hungary, 40 of which can be visited by the general public. During the hot summer days, visiting one of Hungary’s spectacular caves offering a comfortably cool temperature is a perfect program opportunity.
Five of the Hungarian national parks offer caves to visit, claims Hello Magyar: Aggtelek, Balaton Uplands, Bükk, Danube-Drava, and Danube-Ipoly National Parks. The caves of Hungary are quite popular with visitors, half of the people going to these parks also purchase tickets for the guided tours and programs in the caves.
Thanks to the developments of recent years, the caves await visitors with renewed facilities and programs. Additionally, these works have also contributed to protecting natural formations and the preservation of bat habitat, claims Hello Magyar.
Some caves impress visitors with their remarkable stalactites and spectacular mineral deposits, like the Aggtelek Stalactite Cave. According to Érdekes Világ, the Aggtelek Karst is not only a World Heritage Site, but two caves of the National Park are also world records: the 25-kilometre Baradla-Domica cave system is the longest active creek in the temperate zone, and the Szilicei Ice Cave is the lowest ice cave in the world. You can also find one of Hungary’s largest underground halls, the Titans Hall in the park, named after the enormous stalactites in the middle.
The Abaligeti Cave also offers an insight into the natural habitat of the caves: the world of bats.
Most of the caves can be explored by a comfortable walk, but several places – like the Csodabogyós Cave in Balatonederics, the Szentgáli Kőlik or the Mátyás Hill Cave – offer more serious tours with equipment.
Source: facebook.com/Csodabogyos
If you’re not fond of walking or simply want something more special, the Tapolca Spring Cave offers a unique opportunity in the country to explore a cave by boat.
Photo: Facebook Traveladdict
The Cave Bath of Miskolctapolca is a unique spa in Europe, built in a cave above hot springs. The cave has a healing effect, as well.
Budapest is also packed with interesting caves and programs to visit.
There are about 60 kilometres of intricate systems of caves beneath the capital, Hello Magyar claims. The longest cave of Hungary can also be found here: the Pál Valley Cave System is more than 32 km long.
There are 4 caves in Budapest open for tourists: the well-known Pál Valley, Szemlő Hill Caves, the Castle Cave below the Buda Castle District and the Mátyás Hill Cave.
Photo: Facebook Várbarlang
According to Origo, the Castle Cave offers unique, historic guided walks. During the two-hour tour through the underground halls and corridors, participants gain an insight into how natural caves have been transformed into a labyrinth and how they were utilised in a variety of ways over the centuries: from wine cellar through prison to shelter.
The iconic building of the Hungarian Parliament, located on Kossuth Square along the River Danube, has become one of the most important landmarks of Hungary. The neo-Gothic building is among the most popular tourist attractions in Budapest, amazing us with several exciting legends and stories from which we have collected the most surprising ones. Do not miss them! 😉
3rd largest parliament in the world
Besides being one of the tallest buildings in the Hungarian capital with a height of 96 m, its global significance is not negligible either as Budapest has the third-largest parliament building in the world, following Bucharest and Buenos Aires in the ranking.
History of the location
Photo: www.facebook.com/RizsaviTamás
Few may know that its current location, Kossuth Square – also known as the main square of the nation, was an abandoned area until the middle of the 19th century. This was the time when the development of the formerly called Tömő Square started with the purpose of providing a convenient area for the Parliament Building of Budapest along the River Danube.
Construction
The construction of Hungary’s notable landmark began in 1885, and its completion lasted for 19 years that was quite a rapid progress compared to the technology of that time. The first parliamentary meeting was held in 1902. Unfortunately, the event could not be attended by the Hungarian architect, Imre Steindl, who had passed away a few weeks before the parliament opened in 1902.
Made in Hungary
During the construction, there was an important expectation that Hungarian artisans and manufacturers can use only Hungarian raw materials to construct the Hungarian Parliament. This was realised in all the building elements, except for the eight granite columns on either side of the staircase leading to the dome that were delivered from Sweden.
The hunted lion
Photo: www.youtube.com/budapestvideó ponthu/
Just like in the case of Budapest Chain Bridge, lion statues have an important symbolic significance standing at the two sides of the entrance. However, during World War II, one of them was “hunted down”. If we face the main gate, we can find the original lion statue on the left, created by Béla Markup, while the younger lion was replaced by József Somogyi, following Markup’s patterns.
Former residence
In the past, the building also served as a residence, as its dormitories and rooms were reserved for members of the guard and the local fire brigade.
Like a small town
In the inner part of the building, several services are available, including the post office, ATM, restaurants and even a hairdresser. As Blikk reports, from 1907, in the case of barbers, one of the most important conditions of employment was discretion, as politicians often shared their latest news and rumours with the barber.
Number 96
Photo: www.youtube.com/Drone Media Studio/
The height of the 96-meter-high dome has a symbolic meaning that refers to the nation’s millennium, 1896, and the conquest of the later Kingdom of Hungary in 896. In addition, the number of steps of the main staircase to the Dome Hall is also 96. As the Hungarian news portal HellóMagyar reports, another interesting fact is that the building has 365 towers, symbolising the number of days of the year.
Shootings in the Parliament
There were two shootings in the parliament. One of them happened in 1912 when the opposition representative Gyula Kovács fired three times at the then pro-government István Tisza, who was the Speaker of the House. Kovács intended the fourth shot for himself, but in the end, the doctors managed to save him and fortunately, no one was injured. The traces of the shots are still visible in the walls of the Chamber. According to another legend, in 1917, György Palafalvi opened the Wednesday sitting of the House of Representatives with a revolver shot. The soldier later said he had been drinking a lot and was extremely tired when he arrived at the House of Representatives. He fell asleep on the porch and had a dream that Russians were attacking. This was the reason why he reached for his pistol and fired three times in a row. This also turned out, fortunately, without any tragedy.
The golden house
Photo: www.youtube.com/Great Big Story/
Despite the golden cover of the building’s interior, most of the bottom parts are made of metal plates. Real gold – more than 40 kg – was only built in the upper parts of the building where long-lasting protection is provided, while the more frequently used golden painted metal plates at the bottom parts are constantly being restored.
Presumably, the new Madame Tussauds panopticon will open in early 2022 in the heart of Budapest, lining up international and Hungarian, contemporary and historic personalities in an interactive environment.
The most extraordinary element of the attraction opening in the immediate vicinity of Vörösmarty Square is that it will be the world’s first Madame Tussauds franchise. So far, all the 22 panopticons worldwide have been realised by the central rightsholder British Merlin Entertainments. In Budapest, there will be Hungarian owners who pay a franchise fee for using the right, based on the agreement between the rights owner Merlin Entertainments and Dorottya Experience Ltd.
The process is shrouded in secrecy; therefore, it is unknown who we can meet among the figures, how much the ticket will cost, and how many visitors can be expected every year.
What we know so far is that 50 “handmade” pieces are being made for Budapest in the only operating figure factory in West London.
According to the organisers, Budapest’s new attraction will line up international and Hungarian, contemporary and historical personalities in an interactive environment. Hopefully, it will play an important role in the resumption of domestic tourism after the coronavirus epidemic.
In addition to international celebrities, the Budapest venue will also feature a number of Hungarian-related historical figures in the section of the exhibition set up for this purpose. The key goal is for visitors, especially young people, to get to know the Hungarian culture and history of our nation in a direct and interactive way. As Turizmus.com reports, the selection of the lifelike pieces to be presented was preceded by extensive market research and consultations.
The project owners assessed consumer needs quite thoroughly among the Hungarian population and foreign tourists visiting Budapest. Accordingly, the following aspects have been taken into consideration:
Exclusive location in the city centre.
Themes and allocation with an extremely conscious room and puppet layout, including the number of historical persons, athletes, actors, politicians, and singers. In addition, it is also a question of how many global, regional, or local figures are set up from a given country.
Durability for photos, selfies. The puppets are very delicate but also need to be durable as each figure is treated as a “living person”. They are hugged by visitors hundreds of times daily. Perhaps the only exception is Adolf Hitler from Berlin, who was locked behind bars by organisers after a guest cut off his head.
Side by side: an important promotional element is when a live celebrity and its replica puppet are photographed side by side.
Puppets in the shop window can be viewed free of charge, by which the panopticon becomes even more attractive for the passersby.
As the Hungarian news portal Telex reports, the Hungarian organising company is Dorottya Experience Ltd., whose primary owner is the construction contractor József Kreinbacher, one of the wealthiest Hungarian businessmen. He is obviously very interested in the adventure tourism of the Hungarian capital, as he is also involved in the Gellért Hill funicular project.
The new panopticon will entertain in an area of about 2,000 square meters.
The rights holder British Merlin Entertainments is still one of the global leaders in the industry of visitor attractions. The international company includes Madame Tussauds Panopticons, Legoland theme parks, global SeaLife marine parks, the London Ferris Wheel, the London Eye, Shrek’s Adventure in England, and The Dungeons network.
The attraction is implemented with the support of the Kisfaludy program of the Hungarian Tourism Agency.
The reconstruction work of the Chain Bridge is going to begin next Wednesday. Budapest’s iconic bridge is planned to be reopened to road traffic in December 2022 and to pedestrians in 2023.
The renovation of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge has been planned for a long time. This week, the reconstruction preparations reached their final stage,
thanks to which the project can start on Wednesday, 16 June, announced the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) this week.
As BKK reports, another significant preparatory work began on the Chain Bridge and its surroundings earlier this week. The contractor, A-Híd Zrt., will use a tower crane on the Pest and Buda sides that will move the raw materials and bridge elements to the site during the renovation. On the Pest side, the tower crane with a load capacity of 12 tonnes was erected at the beginning of this week. The crane, with a height of 29.75 metres, has been fixed with central iron concrete weights of 100 tonnes, needed for the ground to withstand the load of the tower crane.
As we previously reported, Budapest’s landmark will keep its main characteristics; however, due to the rusty elements of the bridge, almost everything will be replaced. As the first step of the renovation project, the contractor, A-Híd Zrt., took over the entire work area in April and closed the pedestrian underpass on the Pest side but has left the Buda side open until mid-June. In May, the decontamination of metal and ammunition of the Danube began, technicians started to rebuild the Clark Ádám Square, they started to work on the fixing of the tower crane set up on the Pest side, and the suspended scaffolding of the Chain Bridge was also completed.
By the end of the preparations, the contractor will completely close the Chain Bridge on 16th June, next Wednesday. Until then, road traffic, including buses 16 and 105, as well as night buses 916 and 990, will run smoothly on it. Passengers can travel free of charge between the Clark Ádám Square and the Széchenyi István Square, in both directions.
The Chain Bridge is planned to be reopened to road traffic in December 2022; however, pedestrian sidewalks will remain work areas until the works are fully completed, scheduled for 2023.
The renovation of the Chain Bridge will bring a change in the lives of those travelling in the capital; therefore, BKK is constantly providing information on the details of the traffic closure and renovation.
The reconstruction of the Chain Bridge is not the only renovation project beginning this summer. As we reported previously this week, the Nyugati Railway Station will be fully closed for revamping and modernisation from 19th June until 18th July. The renewed train station will offer upgraded services, providing more comfortable travel for passengers.
An old cellar in the centre of the Hungarian capital was transformed into a magical spot to have a party, among secret doors, stalls and some frightening details.
Are you thinking about having a little holiday in the beautiful Hungarian capital of Budapest this summer? If yes, go and check out
Tiltott Zug (roughly translated as “forbidden corner”) was recently opened in Budapest, more precisely under it, in an old cellar.
The whole place reminds visitors of the magical world we came to know and love from the Harry Potter books and films.
The cellar has a capacity to host a group of 15 guests to organise any sort of party or gathering, let it be a birthday party, a bachelorette party, a gathering of friends or family, a photo shoot location or a fun place to watch a film or play a good board game with friends or family.
source: Facebook – Lazula
Not only Harry Potter fans, but anyone who would like to spend some time among friends in a peculiar and unique place full of secret doors and drawers will love this place.
source: Facebook – Lazula
Tiltott Zug is not the first location where an old Budapest cellar was transformed to give it a new life and purpose. Titkos kert (secret garden) opened four years ago, although the winter garden-themed place is much more elegant than its new friend. Both locations belong to the group called Lazula clubs, which provide the absolute perfect spots to hide from the world for a while with some friends to relax and switch off. The aim is to have fun and to do it so together, in a safe environment. This new club is ready for anything you could need, from food and drinks to speakers to have a concert-like experience.
source: Facebook – Lazula
“We used to talk quite a lot about how many old, ruinous cellars there are under Budapest, that is when we had the idea: What if we made use of them?”, quotes Szeretlek Magyarország the words of Annamária Petz, the brain behind the idea.
After searching for the perfect cellar in a relatively good condition at a central location in the capital, the team starts the renovation works to maintain the conditions of the place before building up a ventilating system and completely renovating it. Thanks to the team, these old cellars that have been in awful conditions for who knows how long can become new and refurbished, ready to serve a brand new purpose.
source: Facebook – Lazula
A further peculiarity of the forbidden place is the fact that
its location is actually unknown to the general public.
You arrive at the club without getting into contact with anyone but the owners. They have an online system where you book the place first, and only then you will be provided with the address and a code to enter the building, without the need of having to meet the personnel or anyone on the way. This makes all Lazula clubs completely private zones, where literally no one will be able to find you and your friends. Except for the personnel itself, of course.
From mid-May, anyone can visit Budapest’s new historic coffee house, Royal Guard Café in the Buda Castle. In addition to the delicate aromas, the freshly renovated building brings us back to the old times of Budapest, thanks to its exhibition presenting the 260-year history of the Hungarian bodyguards.
The exhibition’s theme is not a coincidence, as the building was originally built in 1903 to serve as the main guard protecting the palace and the royal bodyguard. Even though the building survived World War II, it was destroyed in 1971. Its reconstruction began in 2017, within the framework of the National Hauszmann Programme, named after its Hungarian designer, Alajos Hauszmann. The renovation terminated last year;
the new historic coffee house located next to the Buda Castle has opened its doors to the visitors in mid-May.
Photo: www.facebook.com/nemzetihauszmannprogram/
Thanks to the exclusive location of Royal Guard Café, guests can enjoy a beautiful view on its terrace overlooking the Matthias Fountain.
Next to the historic café, we can discover two banquet halls with a capacity of 80 and 40 seats, named after the first and second captains of the Hungarian noble bodyguard, Lipót Pálffy and Count Miklós Esterházy. The banquet halls can be reserved for events, for which fine dining service is offered with Hungarian-style dishes and thematic programs representing the top of gastronomy in the heart of Buda Castle.
As the Hungarian news portal Pestbuda reports, the kitchen is located below the café, and an event room has been set up on the upper level of the building where exhibitions can be held. Here we can visit the newly opened historical exhibition. More than five hundred paintings, lithographs and archival photographs present the 260-year history of the Hungarian bodyguards since the founding of the Hungarian Royal Noble Bodyguard in 1760.
Photo: www.facebook.com/nemzetihauszmannprogram/
The motto of the exhibition, “Let history be your story!” perfectly reflects the guest experience provided by the show. Within the framework of which, visitors can see contemporary bodyguard uniforms, helmets, decorations and personal materials. On the walls, photographs and portraits recall the contemporary life of the bodyguards.
There are many beautiful places in Hungary that is worth visiting, but most tourists think about cities, historical sights, forests, mountains and so on. But have you ever wondered what lies behind the earth’s surface? Well, in Hungary and many other places around the world, it is a whole new dimension of beautiful and interesting. In this article we will introduce you to some of the cave systems in Hungary that are open to tourists and you should definitely consider visiting them.
Most tourists would visit the world famous baths in Hungary, or admire the horse show and wildlife of the Hortobágy region, or even visit the old cityscapes, but you should definitely check out what is underneath. It is a unique and beautiful world open only to the most adventurous.
Let us start with the most easily accessible. Say you are in Budapest and have already seen the Heroes’ Square and the Chain Bridge a hundred times. You have already been to almost all the baths and have tried the Hungarian cuisine in the local restaurants and now you have no idea what to do. Just go under the surface. There are quite a few caves around Budapest that you can easily visit. Here they are:
Caves in Budapest
Pál-völgyi Cave
It has been accessible to the public since 1919 but it has been modernized to meet the highest requirements. The route is 500 metres long and takes the visitors through a journey among dripstones, stone formations, crystals and primeval shell prints. The cave is famous for its unique dripstones, narrow corridors and large level differences.
Source: facebook.com/PalVolgyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/PalVolgyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/PalVolgyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/PalVolgyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/PalVolgyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/PalVolgyiBarlang
Szemlő-hegyi Cave
The caves of the Budapest area are unique as they were created by the upward moving hot thermal waters. This gives dripstones and other stone formations their unique look. The cave is also combined with an interactive exhibition, including methods of cave rescue.
Source: facebook.com/SzemloHegyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/SzemloHegyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/SzemloHegyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/SzemloHegyiBarlang
Source: facebook.com/SzemloHegyiBarlang
Buda Castle Cave
There is also an interesting urban legend concerning this location, which you can read about HERE.
“Natural limestone caverns and 800-year-old man-made cellars were connected to a labyrinth-like underground system thus becoming one of the most extraordinary caves in Hungary,” writes the Duna-Ipoly National Park on their website. Because of this, it includes a lot of interesting sights such as wine cellars, cave shelters, a medieval prison, and many halls and corridors.
Moving to a different location, probably the most well-known Hungarian cave system is in the Aggtelek National Park, which is located in the Aggtelek Karst region in Northern Hungary and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well.
Caves around Hungary
Baradla Cave
The Baradla Cave was formed around 200-230 million years ago and it is one of the most researched caves in Hungary and it is famous for its large dripstones and stone formations. It is quite a sizeable cave system as well, as the Baradla-Domica Cave System spans over 30 kilometres. The Bradla Cave itself being 22,027 metres. The cave’s wildlife is also quite colourful and it is an important area in terms of archaeological finds as well.
As a bonus, you can check out 360° images of some of the rooms of the cave system on THIS website.
If you like to experience real cave exploration, then the Csodabogyós Cave might be the best option for you. It is located near Balatonederics in the beautiful forest of the Balaton Uplands Bational Park. The cave and the area are both strictly protected, but some branches of the 6 kilometres long cave system have been opened to the public. It is a unique experience and having been there, I would personally recommend it. The tour starts with an approx. 40 minutes hike to the entrance of the cave. All the caving equipment will be provided for you and a skilled tour guide will lead you through the cave for 1.5-2 hours or if you crave an advanced tour, it takes 3.5-4 hours.
Source: facebook.com/Csodabogyos
Source: facebook.com/Csodabogyos
Source: facebook.com/Csodabogyos
Source: facebook.com/Csodabogyos
Source: facebook.com/Csodabogyos
Source: facebook.com/Csodabogyos
The Lake Cave of Tapolca
This especially beautiful cave was discovered in 1903 and just within a decade it has been opened to the public. It was the first cave in Hungary in which electricity was installed and has been under strict protection since 1982 due to its geological, genetic, geomorphic hydrological and biological values. The cave is made up of limestone and marl layers which the warm water – thanks to the post-volcanic activity – had formed to a jaw-dropping cave system. The extinct volcanoes of the area are a dominant element of the surrounding landscape. The cave also has an exhibition which you can visit.
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Source: facebook.com/tavasbarlang.latogatokozpont
Anna Cave and Saint Stephen Cave
Both caves are located in Lillafüred, around 3 and 3.5 kilometres from Miskolc respectively. The Entrance of the Saint Stephen Cave lies about 500 metres from the Hunguest Hotel Palota next to the road. It has a total span of 1,514 metres, but the publicly available area is only 170 metres. According to legend, the cave was discovered in 1913 when a dog fell into it and its barking drew the attention of the locals to the cave. It was first open to the public in 1931. It is most known for its strange and unique stone formations all over the cave and it has not been fully mapped. In 1958 and in 1974, water gushed forth from the ground, filling the cave and rushing out at the entrance.
Source: facebook.com/bukkinemzetipark
Source: facebook.com/bukkinemzetipark
Source: facebook.com/bukkinemzetipark
Source: facebook.com/bukkinemzetipark
Source: facebook.com/bukkinemzetipark
The entrance to the Anna Cave is located at the bottom of the Hanging Gardens of Lillafüred, just next to the Szinva waterfall. It is very unique as there are only six such caves in the entire world that can be visited by tourists. It has a length of 570 metres of which 208 can be explored. The cave was discovered in 1833 and even the famous Hungarian poet, Sándor Petőfi have visited the place. It was forgotten for a while and was reopened in 1912. Apart from the usual stone formations, the uniqueness of this cave lies in the fossilised plant remains. You can have a short tour around this cave HERE.
Source: Miskolc.hu
Waterfall in Lillafüred, Miskolc, Hungary
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Szalax
Waterfall in Lillafüred, Miskolc, Hungary
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Debrecenivalaki
Last spring, Hungary’s first and only car safari park opened in Szada, which has now been forced to close. Due to the pandemic situation, the circus of József Richter, the Hungarian National Circus, a world-famous travelling company among circus performers, is forced to camp here, as well as his brother’s company, the Flórián Richter Circus.
According to Flórián Richter, the summer high season can be a lifesaver for circuses performing in the countryside. The Richter Circus will perform in Zamárdi while the National Circus in Balatonlelle from July 1, writes Magyar Nemzet.
Due to the coronavirus, travelling circus companies, including the two mentioned above, spent the entire spring at its winter accommodation last year due to the pandemic and could only perform in the summer. This has led to an exceptionally difficult year for them in an industry that is not very easy to begin with.
Flórián Richter, the head of the company, told index.hu: it was a great difficulty that the weak summer season was followed by an autumn with additional charges. On top of that, in the springtime, the third wave kept the company in its winter accommodation in Szada again. The head of the company also talked about the fact that they are currently preparing for the summer high season.
He also mentioned that his brother József’s company is struggling with similar problems: the National Circus is also preparing for the summer high season, and they will perform in Balatonlelle from July. Currently, they are also waiting at their accommodation in Szada.
Flórián Richter noted that it is a huge help for them that their children can perform on Fridays and at the weekend in the Capital Circus of Budapest. There are no live spectators here either, for obvious reasons, but the online performances are fortunately followed by many. He also pointed out that the company suffered serious losses not only financially but also professionally. Due to the downtime, professionals and circus technicians left the team, and not everyone has returned.
The head of the company also said that, unfortunately, the Safari Park is no longer operating in Szada because it is not allowed by the municipality. Therefore, the safari will be opened elsewhere, in an area close to Budapest, and they are currently working on it.
If you are a nature lover and you are visiting Budapest, there are several areas that you can see. One of the most beloved locations to go to is the Normafa, which is on the Buda side of the Danube in District 12. The Normafa is a location in the Buda Hills, but you can explore several places from there, and there are also several ways you can reach Normafa.
Hegyvidék reported that a brand new and modern educational trail might be built on Normafa after the Hegyvidék municipality and environmental and civil organisations have discussed the issues concerning the trail’s initial path.
The area is home to colourful flora and fauna, and there are 400-years old oak trees and 2-300-years old beech trees in the area, making it one of the most extensive forests in Hungary with such ancient and diverse trees.
The original plans wanted to connect the parking lot with the Buda Sport Hotel’s remains and would have been one kilometre long, but the green organisations did not agree to the path. The second iteration included several smaller tracks but was rejected by the environmental organisations, including WWF Hungary. The third iteration for the educational path is planned around the remains of the Buda Sport Hotel. This would make the recultivation of the area, which is not used and is littered with building waste, possible and, in turn, create a much greener area as well. There is also one extra benefit, which will be the feature of the path.
The area is on a slope, so while the path could start level with the area, it could easily continue into the canopy of the forest surrounding the area and providing a mesmerising view of the hill and the entire Hungarian capital.
One of the companies to design the path is Hello Wood. They would like to create an educational path where they can raise awareness of global warming and show children the beauty and importance of nature.
According to plans, they would like to include special booths for bird spotting and educational plaques to present the different species of animals and plants living in the area.
Source: Hegyvidék.hu
The aim is to create a modern educational path that harmonises with nature and would not burden the area with too many visitors which could cause quite the opposite effect. They plan to have a maximum of 150 visitors at once with a possibility to limit the overall number of visitors. While designing the new path, the main reasons were sustainability and moderation.
A volcano in Iceland spewing lava into the sky since it erupted last Friday could continue its spectacular display for years, potentially becoming a new tourist attraction on the island known for its natural wonders.
Thousands of Icelanders have flocked to the site of the eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula, some 30 kilometres southwest of the capital, hoping to be awed by the rare lava fountains and even to cook a meal on the scorching crust of magma. Drone footage filmed over the crater shows the molten lava bubbling and spurting, and gushing down the sides of the volcano.
“It’s a perfect tourist eruption,” volcanology professor at the University of Iceland, Thorvaldur Thordarson, told Reuters. “With the caveat though, don’t go too close.”
To cope with the hoard of visitors, authorities in Iceland set up a 3.5 kilometre (2.2 miles) hiking trail to the eruption site and are patrolling the area to prevent onlookers from venturing into hazardous areas polluted by volcanic gasses.
“People were hiking from many different directions into the area,” Agust Gunnar Gylfason, project manager at the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, told Reuters.
Gylfason estimated more than ten thousand people had ventured to the site since Friday evening,
some of whom had needed rescuing due to the harsh weather and travelling without enough food or proper clothing.
Since the initial eruption, lava has steadily seeped out of the volcano at a rate of between 5 to 10 cubic metres per second, Thordarson said, a flow strong enough to ensure the lava does not solidify and close the fissure. For now.
“If it drops below three cubic meters, it’s very likely that the eruption will stop,” Thordarson said. He compared the lava flux to that of the Pu’u ‘O’o eruption in Hawaii, which began in 1983 and continued to erupt for 35 years.
“It could end tomorrow or it could still be going in a few decades.”
No matter what season of the year, the popular destination of Lake Balaton offers amazing landscapes and breathtaking panorama to its visitors. In order to immerse yourself in the wonderful sights, it is worth visiting the most special lookout points of the Hungarian Sea where the magical visual experience is guaranteed.
Sphere Lookout in Balatonboglár
Photo: www.facebook.com/Gombkilato/
In addition to its unique shape, the lookout point of Balatonboglár offers a fantastic panorama to its visitors,
The special viewpoint that received its name after its unique shape also serves as the main symbol of the city, standing on the 60-metre-high Castle Hill, from where we can admire Lake Balaton and the so-called “Witness Hills” on the opposite north coast. After numerous renovation projects, the lookout tower opened its doors to visitors in 2012. Since then, we have been able to enjoy its wonderful panorama that is worth a stop when visiting the Hungarian Sea.
The Maritime History Visitor Centre in Balatonföldvár is a special, ship-shaped building.
The mast operates as a lookout tower, while in the internal part of the building, visitors can enjoy an interactive exhibition.
The 25-metre-high lookout tower, located on a 40-metre-high bank, offers an unparalleled view of Lake Balaton. The top of the lookout tower can be reached by climbing 166 stairs, but the designers also thought of less adventurous visitors who can take an elevator to reach the top. The building opened its doors in 2016 and gained great popularity. Currently, it is temporarily closed due to the pandemic. Still, its fantastic panorama will await visitors in post-pandemic times as well.
Őrtorony Lookout Tower in Tihany
Photo: www.facebook.com/wellspringofwonders/
Located on the Tihany Peninsula, the 16.5-metre-high lookout tower, built of wood and local stone, offers a beautiful panoramic view, from where we can see the Abbey, the Outer and Inner Lakes, Balatonfüred, and, of course, the beautiful Hungarian Sea. As Csodálatos Balaton reports, the shape of the lookout tower evokes the former Roman watchtowers. In clear weather, we can admire Siófok, Zamárdi, Balatonföldvár, or the Kőröshegy Valley Bridge on the other side.
Balatongyörök is the ideal destination for those who are not keen on climbing but would like to admire the picturesque beauty of Lake Balaton, the Tapolca Basin, and the Szigliget Bay from the Beautiful Lookout Tower. The horizontal viewpoint offers a fantastic panorama all year long.
As the Hungarian news portal 24.hu reports, the newest lookout point of Lake Balaton can be found in Balatonlelle. The panoramic and relaxing terrace is made of wood, from where there is an amazing view of the Hungarian Sea. From the building that blends into the landscape, we have a beautiful view of the Witness Hills of the Balaton Uplands, as well as the heights of the southern shore, such as Fonyódi Hill and the previously mentioned Sphere Lookout in Balatonboglár.
After one decade of legal affairs that impeded the opening of the beautifully renovated Rác Bath and the pertaining superior hotel nearby, now the proprietor company decided to sell the properties at public auction. The starting price exceeds EUR 13.6 million.
The history of the iconic Turkish bath dates back to the 16th century, when its oldest part, the Turkish cupola was built in 1572. Later on, the imperial pools and shower corridors were constructed during the age of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Since then – thanks to periodic renovations – the spa has preserved its original authenticity and style. Few may know that Rác Thermal Bath is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; though, its inner beauty has not been admired by tourists for a long time. However, a final decision has been made on the future of Budapest’s iconic spa and the superior hotel alongside.
It makes it even more complicated that the land under the buildings is the property of the capital, and the Budapest Thermal Bath Plc holds the water rights necessary for the spa’s operation (BGYH). As a result, the spa, the state, the capital’s local government and BGYH also have the right of pre-emption. So the final race for the real estates begins.
As Népszava reports, for the renovation of the spa, the municipality of the Hungarian capital established Rác Nosztalgia Ltd. in 2002. The capital took the land under the buildings to the joint business, while the associated Rác Beruházó Ltd. undertook the renovation and the construction of the 67-room hotel. The construction of the 16,000-square-foot complex began in 2005, and the inauguration was scheduled for May 2010.
Even though, the renovation of the patinated spa and the construction of the new, superior hotel cost a total of EUR 21.7 million and was already licensed in the autumn of 2010,
Now, the National Reorganizational Nonprofit Ltd. – entrusted with the liquidation of the owning company, Rác Nosztalgia Ltd. – has decided to sell the renovated Turkish Bath and the 67-room hotel at public auction.
The electronic bidding starts on 26th March and runs until 12th April.
The starting price and the minimum amount to be paid for the real estate is slightly more than EUR 13.6 million; the amount of the advance payment to participate in the auction is EUR 692,000.
As the Hungarian news portal Turizmus.com reports, the capital has repeatedly stated that it intends to acquire ownership of the Rác Bath and the hotel building in the liquidation proceedings. In the current financial situation, the capital’s municipality will hardly have sufficient financial resources for the renovation. The big question is how far it will go in bidding. It seems – that after years of useless negotiations – the spa, which was beautifully renovated by 2011, and the newly built hotel will have to be redone again, the cost of which is estimated at millions of EUR.
