In the old district of Buda there are some of the most popular venues of the Hungarian capital. Protected by the Fishermen’s Bastion and the Buda Castle that dominates the city from above, the medieval centre of Budapest preserved the original features of its ancient past.
The city of Buda was the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and was besieged and conquered by the Turks in 1541 and then liberated by Austria in 1703.
Buda was joined to the agglomerations of Obuda and Pest, forming in 1873 the city of Budapest.
The historic centre of the Hungarian capital is located at the heart of the Buda Castle District, between 15th-century buildings and antique boutiques.
One of the oldest buildings in this district is the Church of Maria Maddalena, dating back to the XIII century, whose bell tower is still clearly visible. However, the true protagonist of Buda is the colourful Matthias Church( Mátyás-templom) in the Square of Holy Trinity.
At the top of the hill of Vàrhegy, protected by the Fishermen’s Bastion, the Coronation Church of Our Lady, commonly known as Matthias Church, is surrounded by a labyrinth of streets full of artisans’ shops and ceramic ateliers.
The church was built in the 13th century under Bèla IV, and it was later transformed into a mosque during the Ottoman occupation.
Finally, it was restored by Frigyes Schulek, the same architect who also built the famous Fishermen’s Bastion.
Inside, the artistic quality of frescoes and the incredibly stained glass windows leave you literally breathless.
The Màtyàs Templom owes its etymology to Matthias Corvinus, the Hungarian king who according to some testimonies was probably of Italian origins, as a descendant of the Roman family of the Corvini.
The large square that houses Matthias Church bordered by the walls and towers built by Schulek, is one of the most visited places in Budapest.
The historical and artistic value of these monuments is added to their panoramic position. This neo-Gothic masterpiece is indeed set in one of the most suggestive corners of Budapest.