An inside look at the beauty that is Budapest, Hungary along the Danube River
By: Emily Palazzotto
The Danube River from a port on the Buda side
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
In the Spring of 2019, my ten best friends and I signed up for our annual school trip abroad to Europe – it would be the perfect way to kick off our end of senior year activities. Being that I had never gone to Europe before, I was unsure of what to expect, but I knew that I was in for the trip of a lifetime. Our first stop and the most amazing stop in my opinion was Budapest, Hungary.
The eleven of us on the final day of our trip in Berlin, Germany
Photo by Ellen Perz
Evidently dense with its unique culture, stepping onto the streets of Budapest felt like taking a breath of fresh air – unlike anything that I had ever witnessed before. Being of Hungarian descent, I was ecstatic to be traveling to a place where some of my family members still reside. I had researched a lot about what this country had to offer and looked at photos to get insight on what I would be walking into. No photos did the beauty of Budapest any justice at all.
My family's farm on the Buda side of Budapest
Photo by Beata Javorszki
The culture of Hungary is so strongly shown in their food and their architecture, as well as throughout its vast array on monuments. With street performers at almost every street corner, the sound of violins echoes throughout the city. While there was such a unique variety of places to go and things to do throughout Budapest, one thing remained constant in all of those opportunities – the Danube River.
At first glance, the Danube River appears to be the same as any other ordinary river. This, however, is simply not the case. As the second longest river to run through Europe, the Danube serves as one of the most vital water sources for several countries, Hungary being one of them. Budapest is split into two separate entities – Buda and Pest. The only thing separating the two cities is the Danube River, as it runs right through the heart of Budapest. It is essential to the daily life and activities of both cities, as it literally touches both in more ways than one.
In my opinion, the greatest way to see all that the Danube has to offer is by taking a river cruise – something I was fortunate enough to do. In one trip, you can see the Shoes on the Danube River, the Parliament building, the Chain Bridge and several farmer’s markets set up by locals of such areas.
During day light hours, the Danube serves as a gorgeous monument you can see throughout all of Budapest. Once the sun sets however, the lights that line the river as it passes through Budapest are unlike anything I have seen ever before. Some ships actually plan to stop in Budapest for a while and then continue on their travels once nighttime comes, just to see the breathtaking view.
You will never find the Danube River without ships sailing along it, as it is used as one of the greatest trade and importation hubs in all of Europe.
The Marrying of Two Cities
The only thing that connects the cities of Buda and Pest is the monumental Chain Bridge. Standing in the middle of the bridge allows one to get a view of the separation of the cities by the Danube and is quite possibly the most aesthetically pleasing thing to view in Budapest, as well as the greatest sightseeing attraction Budapest has to offer. Trust me when I say that there are no words that can define the beauty that is easily observed from this view. It left me speechless, and that almost never happens.
The Chain Bridge over the Danube River - connecting Buda and Pest
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
The lights along the Danube River at night
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
The Parliament Building
One of the most well-known sites to see along the Danube River is the Hungarian Parliament Building. The largest building in Hungary has stood in place now for hundreds of years and is a representation of the country’s sovereignty. Built by Imre Steindl, this building gives the two cities of Buda and Pest a strong sense of togetherness, as its vast size is easily witnessed by people who reside on both sides of the Danube River.
Regardless of its enormity, the Parliament building’s architecture has such admirable design that mimics neo-Gothic style and has such detail throughout its structure that is clearly observable both near and far. When on my river cruise, it felt like the Parliament building would never end, we continued to move up the river, and the enormity of the building followed along with us for quite some time.
The Parliament building from the Danube River
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
The Shoes on the Danube Bank
One of the most memorable things that I was able to see while on the Danube river was the Shoes on the Danube Bank. This was the most spine chilling and gut-wrenching monument I observed in all of Hungary. The melancholy aura was undeniable. This was the only place in Hungary where the violins were silenced, and all one hears is the sound of the river splashing at the bank’s edge and the occasional sniffle signaling mourning the loss of their loved one’s years later.
The tragic story is clearly told with no words, only with sixty pairs of shoes standing at the bank’s edge – shoes of different sizes and styles were placed here showing that nobody was safe. During the dark times of World War II, Jews were brought to this bank, ordered to take off their shoes because some shoes at the time were of value, and then shot. Their corpse would fall into the water, be carried away, just to later sink to the bottom of the river. While this is a dark display it tells the raw truth of what life was like for Hungarian Jews during the time.
The sixty pairs of iron cast shoes at the Danube Bank. Flowers are brought to this monument often as a sign of prayers and mourning.
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
Culture along the Danube
Visible from the Danube River, adding such character to the cities of Buda and Pest are the farmer’s markets set up along the edge of the river, spanning its entire length. The street performers set up near these markets, so the sound of their music casts itself onto the Danube. Tourists get a true taste of the culture of the locals as the locals set up these little markets.
Some of the kiosks are vendors selling their handcrafted souvenirs, jewelry or clothing where other kiosks are set up to sell food indigenous to that region, which I learned is referred to as “street meat” as well as deserts or fruit and veggies. Some vendors are set up to sell beverages, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic so they are catering to people of all ages. At these farmer’s markets, it is easy to have exchanges with locals of both Buda and Pest. This gives one insight of what daily life and hobbies look like for locals.
I found that the most culture rich places were at these markets, because it is where some individuals are trying to make an honest living, where others shop for their dire necessities and where others gather to have a good time with good friends and eat good food, while listening to good music.
Street vendor at farmer's marker selling his baked goods and homemade candies
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
Famous Hungarian Desert - Chimney Cake
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
"Street Meat" from a vendor at a market in Pest
Photo by Emily Palazzotto
Gallery
Photos by Emily Palazzotto