Top 5 architectural masterpieces in Hungary

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As travelers, we will always search for architectural gems that have historical meaning for a specific place before visiting any city. Hungary has them in abundance and the vast majority is located in the capital of Budapest. It was hard to highlight just five of the most spectacular venues, but we somehow found a way to narrow the list down to the following options.

5 – Puskas Arena Stadium

Photo by Puskás Aréna

Puskas Arena was officially opened on November 15th, 2019, when it hosted a friendly tie between Hungary and Uruguay. Interestingly, it was just a couple of months after Indiana sports betting was introduced, allowing sports betting aficionados to even place wagers on the event. South Americans won the clash 1-2 thanks to goals from Edinson Cavani and Brian Rodriguez. In terms of architecture, the stadium is certainly among the most beautiful venues of a kind in the world. The construction began in 2017 on the site of a former People’s Stadium (Nepstadion) in Budapest. With a capacity of 67,889, Puskas Arena is one of the biggest venues in that part of the continent. It is also the second tallest site in Budapest.

4 – Matthias Church

Matthias Church is a Roman Catholic church situated in the Holy Trinity Square in Budapest. It was first built in Romanesque style in 1015, but the building has today’s form and shape since the 14^th century when it was reconstructed in the Gothic style. It has a historical significance being the home to the coronation of two Hungarian kings, Franz Joseph I of Hungary and Charles IV of Hungary respectively. The interior is just breathtaking, featuring rich frescos painted by the most famous Hungarian painters as well as stained glass windows. 

3 – St. Stephen’s Basilica

A Roman Catholic basilica is the third-largest church site in Hungary. Named in the honor of the First King of Hungary, Stephen, who ruled in the late 10^th and early 11^th century, the basilica is one of the most popular touristic attractions in Hungary today. The building used to be a theater housing animal fights back in the 18^th century. The architectural design represents the Neo-Classical style with two big bell towers anchoring the façade. The country’s largest bell can be found in the southern tower.  The visitors can recognize fine arts all over the amazing interior characterized by mosaics by Mor Than, Gyula Benczur, and Bertalan Szekely.

2 – Buda Castle

Photo: www.facebook.com/spiceofeurope

When visiting the Hungarian capital, you just can’t afford to skip Buda Castle, the UNESCO World Heritage site. The venue overlooks the city and the river (Danube) from Castle Hill. The site features two significant museums (the Budapest History Museum and the National Gallery), the National Library, and multiple extraordinary fountains and statues. The terrace, which probably secures the best possible view of the Danube and the parliament building, features an equestrian statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy and a beautiful fountain of the Fishing Children. To enter the aforementioned museums, you’ll have to go through the Lions Gate.

1 – Budapest Parliament

The Budapest Parliament building is certainly among the most beautiful sites in Europe. It was built in 1904 in a Gothic style combining neo-Byzantine and Baroque interior design. Symmetric façade with as many as 10 courtyards, almost 700 rooms, and a couple of identical parliament halls make the whole building so fascinating. The interior is decorated with mosaics, frescoes, sculptures, stained glass windows, and numerous gilded ornaments. The home of the National Assembly of Hungary is the country’s highest building and an inevitable touristic attraction located on the eastern bank of the Danube.