The Great Market Hall was opened in 1897 and was the main market in Budapest until 1932. The afternoon is the busiest time, so we returned the next morning to get better shots.
On the ground floor, you’ll find fruit, vegetables, sausages, meat, bread, and spices. Of particular note is the Hungarian saffron, which is also very reasonably priced.
The upper floor houses a bistro, snack stands, and souvenir shops.
In the basement, there are fish stalls and fruit and vegetable stands.
At Liszt Ferenc tér 8, we pass the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, built in 1875. It is still one of the most internationally renowned training centers for musicians.
We then enter the area of the former Great Ghetto, which existed here from December 1944 to January 27, 1945. Thousands of people died here, but 68,000 were saved.
We visit the Gozsdu Courtyard, which was once designed as a courtyard with seven residential buildings. Gozsdu Manó, a Romanian lawyer and patron of the arts, had the courtyard built in 1915 with seven residential buildings for young people, and to promote their education.
Today, it is a meeting place and entertainment district for 900,000 visitors a year. The complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The monument by sculptor Tamás Szabó commemorates Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz, who saved the lives of more than 60,000 Jews between 1942 and May 1945.
The Great Synagogue in Dohány utca, which was built in the Moorish style, is the largest in Europe and can seat 2,946 people.
We cross to the other side of the Danube and visit the Móricz Zsigmond körtér. The square is named after the Hungarian writer Móricz Zsigmond, who became famous for his literature about the Hungarian rural population.
The square’s most interesting monument, featuring a statue of St. Imre, is the son of Stephen I and Gisela of Bavaria and likely married the daughter of the Croatian king Kresimir. The marriage remained childless. He was raised in a very religious manner and lived an ascetic life, presumably also during his marriage. He only became 24 to 31 years old; more precise details are unknown. He died in 1031 from the consequences of a hunting accident.
On the way back, we pass the monument of Géza Gárdonyi, who became famous for his writings about village life and his descriptions of the Turkish siege.
The buildings of the University of Technology and Economics can be seen on the side streets. The Szkéné Theatre is also located here.
At the end of Bartók Béla út, we come to the Gellért Thermal Bath, which we walk around outdoors. It was famous early on because its springs were warmer than those already known in Budapest. During our visit in April, the outdoor pool was only partially open.
After a short climb to the statue of Stephen I, we enjoy the view of the surrounding area and the Liberty Bridge.
We return to the Danube side and stroll along Váci u. This is the oldest shopping street in Budapest, and today, it is the most famous promenade of the city.
At the intersection with Szabad sajtó út, we come across the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and some of the city’s most prestigious hotels, such as the Matild Palace, the Maverick Downtown, and the Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest
We made our way back to the hotel. We walked through Szervita Square with its imaginative architecture, and past the Danai Fountain to the metro station at Deak Ferenc Square.
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