Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BUDA: THE TOP ATTRACTIONS
Museums
Nemzeti Galéria (Hungarian National Gallery)
A repository of Hungarian
art from medieval times through the 20th century, the Hungarian National Gallery is
an enormous museum—you couldn't possibly view the entire collection during a sin-
gle visit. The museum was founded during the great reform period of the mid-19th
century and was moved to its present location in Buda Palace in 1975. Hungary has
produced some fine artists, particularly in the late 19th century, and this is the place
to view their work. The giants of the time are the brilliant
Mihály Munkácsy
,
whose masterpieces include
The Lintmakers, Condemned Cell,
and
Woman Carrying
Wood;
László Paál, a painter of village scenes, including
Village Road in Berzova, Path
in the Forest at Fontainbleau,
and
Depth of the Forest;
Károly Ferenczy
, whose
mastery of light is seen in
Morning Sunshine
and
Evening in March;
and Pál Szinyei
Merse, a plein-air artist whose own artistic developments paralleled those of the early
French Impressionists (check out
Picnic in May
). Some other artists to look for are
Gyula Benczúr, who painted grand historical scenes; Károly Lotz, best known as a
fresco painter (you can see his creations at the Opera House and Matthias Church),
who is represented at the museum by a number of nudes and several fine thunder-
storm paintings; and Bertalan Székely, a painter of historical scenes and landscapes.
József Rippl-Rónai's canvases are premier examples of Hungarian post-Impressionism
and Art Nouveau (see
Father and Uncle Piacsek Drinking Red Wine
and
My Grand-
mother
), while Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka, the “Rousseau of the Danube,” is consid-
ered by some critics to be a genius of early modern art.
I. In Buda Palace, Wings B, C, and D, on Castle Hill.
&
1/375-5567.
Free admission to permanent collection. Vari-
able entrance for temporary exhibitions. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. Bus: Várbusz from Moszkva tér or 16 from Deák tér
to Castle Hill. Funicular: From Clark Ádám tér to Castle Hill.
A Famous Church
Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church)
Officially named the Church of Our
Lady, this symbol of Buda's Castle District is popularly known as Matthias Church
after the much-loved 15th-century Renaissance king who was the main donor of the
building and who was twice married here. The structure that originally stood here
dates from the mid-13th century. However, like other old churches in Budapest,
Matthias Church has an interesting history of destruction and reconstruction, and was
constantly being refashioned in the architectural style that was popular at the time of
reconstruction. The last two Hungarian kings (Habsburgs) were crowned in this
church: Franz Joseph in 1867 (Liszt wrote and performed his
Coronation Mass
for the
occasion) and Charles IV in 1916. The church interior is decorated with works by two
outstanding 19th-century Hungarian painters, Károly Lotz and Bertalan Székely.
Organ concerts are held here every other Friday evening in July and August at 8pm.
Daily Mass is held at 8:30am, 12:30pm, and 6pm; Sunday Mass at 8:30am, 9:30am,
noon, and 6pm.
I. Szentháromság tér 2.
&
1/355-5657.
Admission 600 Ft ($3/£1.55). Daily 9am-6pm. Bus: Várbusz from Moszkva
tér or 16 from Deák tér Castle Hill. Funicular: From Clark Ádám tér to Castle Hill.
ÓBUDA
Roman Ruins
The
ruins of Aquincum
, the once-bustling capital of the Roman province of Pan-
nonia, are spread throughout the southern part of Óbuda. Unfortunately, the various
sites are far away from one another, and the layout of modern Óbuda is quite
