Buda Castle
Budavári Palota
The Hungarian royal palace at the southern end of Castle Hill, now housing the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. The funicular, courtyards and rampart terraces overlook the entire Danube.
Buda Castle was first built in the 13th century under King Béla IV. It became a Renaissance court in the age of King Matthias, and was almost completely destroyed during the Ottoman occupation and the 1686 siege. It was rebuilt as a Baroque and neo-Baroque palace in the 18th and 19th centuries, damaged again in World War II, and restored after the war in a simplified style. The castle district is currently undergoing the National Haussmann Programme, a restoration project, and some buildings are gradually recovering their pre-war appearance.
The palace itself is free to enter for the outer courtyards, the rampart terraces, the Matthias Fountain and the Turul bird statue. The terraces are another classic spot for photographing the Chain Bridge and the Parliament. Inside are two paid museums: the Hungarian National Gallery (Magyar Nemzeti Galéria, about 4,800 forints, with medieval altarpieces, paintings by Munkácsy and a dome viewing platform) and the Budapest History Museum (about 3,600 forints, where you can see the remains of the medieval royal palace).
Ways up: take the Buda Castle funicular (Sikló, opened in 1870) from the Buda end of the Chain Bridge. A one-way ride costs about 4,000 forints, and queues often exceed 20 minutes, so you can also walk up the steps beside it in 10 minutes. Alternatively, take bus 16 from Széll Kálmán tér. On Castle Hill you'll also find Sándor Palace (the Presidential Palace, with a changing of the guard at noon), medieval-style lanes, the Labyrinth underground maze and the century-old Ruszwurm pastry shop. The best plan is to combine the castle with Fisherman's Bastion for a half-day visit, then walk back to Pest across the Chain Bridge in the evening.
Opening hours
Castle District open all day; National Gallery Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00 (closed Mon)
Nearby sights
- Széchenyi Chain Bridge
- Fisherman's Bastion / Matthias Church
- Danube River Cruise
- Shoes on the Danube Bank
- Hospital in the Rock Nuclear Bunker Museum
- Rudas Baths
- Gellért Hill
- Hungarian Parliament Building