Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Palatinus
Strand
Openedin1919,the
city'slargestoutdoor
poolcomplex
(right)
buzzesfromdawnto
dusk,aspeopleenjoy
thetherapeuticwaters
pumpedfromtheisland's
thermalsprings
(see p37).
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Water Tower
TheUNESCO-
protectedWaterTower
(below)
wasbuiltin1911
tosupplyfreshwaterto
theDanubiusGrandHotel
Margitsziget.Itstands
57m(187ft)highanda
galleryofferspanoramic
viewsoftheentireisland.
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Danubius Grand
Hotel Margitsziget
Thislegendaryhotel
designedbyMiklósYbl
openedin1872.For
years,itwasthemost
fashionableinthecity,
attractingaristocracyfrom
alloverEurope.Today,
ithasbeenjoinedbya
sisterspa
(see p113).
)
Horse-Drawn
&
St Michael's
Carriage Rides
Youcanseetheislandin
imperialstylebytakinga
carriageride
(above).
Last-
ingaboutanhour,the
ridesstartfromthenorth-
ernendoftheisland,
oppositethehotels.
Church
Theoldestbuildingon
theisland,StMichael's
Church
(below)
was
foundedinthe11th
century,butwasdevas-
tatedbytheTurksin
1541.Whatyousee
todayisa1930srecon-
struction,usingmaterials
from
Princess Margit
(Margaret)
Afterthehorrorsofthe
Mongolinvasionand
subsequentdestruction
ofBudapestfrom1241
to1242,adesperate
KingBélaIVofferedto
givehisdaughtertoGod,
ifinreturn,Hewould
ensurethattheMongols
neverreturned.In1251,
Bélasenthisnine-year-
olddaughterMargitto
theisland'sconvent,
whereshestayedfor
therestofherlife.The
Mongolsneverreturned.
*
Bodor Well
Theunusualmusical
BodorWell
(left)
is,in
fact,acopyofalongdes-
troyedwell,builtin1820
inTârguMures,Romania.
Thiscopydatesfrom
1936,andplaysrecorded
musiconthehour.
The island is very popular with joggers and is a great place to come
for a run. There are several cafés selling drinks and snacks en route.
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