The capital of Hungary is Budapest. The city of 2 million is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe.
Under the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (after 1867) the whole country and Budapest as well developed quickly, so it became seasonable to unite the three towns on the cost of the river Danube (Pest, Buda and Óbuda) which was passed by the Parliament in 1873, under the name Budapest. The outstanding development of the following decades gave the base of the landscape of today's Budapest. The beautiful bridges, the first subway on the continent, the thermal baths, the avenues and the electric lights on the streets all helped Budapest become a multicoloured metropolis.
The city awaits its visitors with loads of spectacles (historical places, castles, museums, churches) and programs (baths, festivals, exhibitions, opera, excursions).
Budapest is stunning in morning light and in the evening when the most important public buildings are illuminated.
Budapest is separated into two parts, Buda and Pest, by the river Danube. The two parts are total contrast to each other; Buda was built upon mountains, while Pest is situated on a plain.
The city is rich in sights known all around the world:
Budapest's one of the most liked and visited tourist attractions is the Castle district. The Palace of Buda stands on top of a mountain and can be seen from every corner of the city. The district apart from the Castle is rich in spectacles: tourists love to take long walks in the charming little squares, the narrow, mystic streets and allies with a beautiful sight of the medieval town built upon the Castle Hill. Many old houses still have gothic window and door frames.
This is where one of the country's most beautiful gothic churches stand, just a few metres from the Holy Trinity Statue which was raised in memory of the pestilence in 1709. The "Our Lady Church" - or commonly known as the Matthias Church - was built during the rein of king IV. Béla. Thanks to its excellent acoustics, the church often gives a home for organ and other classical music concerts.
The other famous sight of the Holy Trinity Square is the Hungarian House of Wines where in the cellar of several hundred metres the visitor can get acquainted with 450 types of wine from Hungary's 22 historical wine districts. Everyone who enters first gets a small cup then the "wine adventure" can begin where 70-80 types of wine can be tasted.
If we approach the Castle from the Danube, the snow-white tours of the Fisherman's Bastion rise above us. It's interesting that the Fisherman's Bastion never served defensive aims; it was built in 1905 to be a look-out terrace and a building that enriches the cityscape. It was built, following the line of the former city wall, next to a medieval fish market and it was the fishermen's guild's task to guard the wall's this part - this is where the name is from. There is a labyrinth underneath the Castle which consists of several natural and artificial corridors and is open for visiting.
The caves are Budapest's unique attractions. It's worth visiting the Szemlő-hegyi-cave and the halls of Pálvölgyi-cave which are rich in dripstones. The entrance of the cave is designed to make sure handicapped people can enter too.
The Lánchíd, Budapest's symbol, is the first permanent bridge on the Danube in Hungary and the second on the whole line of the river. At first passengers could get through with the help of a ferry, but there have been a pontoon bridge on the river since the XV. The Lánchidat was handed over on the 20th November, 1849. In 1853 it only took seven and a half weeks to bore through the Várhegy (the hill where the Castle stands) where then the 350 metres long, 10 metres wide and high Tunnel was built. Since then numerous little stories were born about the Tunnel, for example people of Budapest say that if it rains they push the Lánchíd under the Tunnel so it won't get soaked. it is interesting to know that the Tunnel is exactly the same length as the bridge it's facing.
There is a legend which says that if we sail under one of the bridges of Budapest we can make a wish, which means that in Budapest we can have up to 9 wishes.
Budapest's second permanent bridge, the seven-pillared 
Margit-bridge was finished in 1876 based on French plans. At its central pillar it ramifies to Margitsziget (Margit Island). This is the capitals most beautiful park. Under its huge trees people can visit sports grounds, swimming pools, the city's largest open-air bath, an open-air stage and thermal hotels. On the island - which can be reached with a ship - there is no traffic, but there are the popular family-bicycles for rent!
The Rudas bath is an original Turkish bath, which has maintained the special atmosphere of the Turkish era. The dome hall, which surrounds the octagon shaped pool with columns, is one of the oldest and most beautiful Turkish baths.
The Rác bath and the Király bath are also remains of the Turkish age.
Today's Gellért Bath and Hotel was built in 1918 and then a few years later it was completed with a wave and a bubble pool too. This is Budapest's most beautiful bath, where the original secession interior, the colourful mosaics, the marble columns, the painted glass and the sculptures still exist.
According to the legend it was in 1046 when the missionary bishop Gellért was tossed from the rocks rising on the cost of the river Danube by the pagan Hungarians. The mountain today bears his name, with his statue standing on the side give on the river above a beautiful waterfall. On the top if the Gellért-mountain there is a citadel, which was built by the Austrian Emperor to regulate the rebel city after the defeat of the Hungarian war of independence in 1848-49. The view of the city is amazing from its terraces in the height of 140 metres.
From below and from nearly every point of the city you can see the bronze figure of the Statue of Liberty, a woman holding a branch of a palm-tree, which was established in 1947, after the 2nd World War as a monument for the liberation of the country.
The building of the Parliament was started in 1885 and lasted 19 years until 1904. Its beautiful eclectic building lays on the cost of the river Danube and is 268 metres long and 118 metres wide.
The basic area of the building is more than 17 000 square metres; its corridors surround 10 inner courts. All its wrought gates, lamp posts, frescos which decorate the façade and the halls, statues and gilded ornaments were composed by the best Hungarian industrial artists of the XIX. Century. Just a few details: among others 90 exterior and 152 interior statues enrich the Parliament. The 22-23-carat gold used for the decorating the building weights approximately 40 kilograms.
The Hungarian Holy Crown and the coronation jewellery are placed in the dome hall. The Parliament (and the jewellery as well) can be visited with tourist guides arranged every 30 minutes. The Parliament Library is also opened for the public.
Many "entertainment districts" started to emerge in the city centre in the past decade. The most known are the Liszt Ferenc square and the surrounding narrow streets and Ráday street (near to the National Museum) and its environs, but there are plenty of intimate restaurants and bars on the cost of the Danube and on the catering boats attached to the cost.