The Castle District

Our first stop on our day tour of Budapest was the Castle District, also called Castle Hill.  The Castle District is located atop the tallest hill on the Buda side of the Danube and was the location of the castle for the monarch and the seat of the government.  Buda became the capital because of the high ground after the original flatland location was clearly indefensible against attackers.

Also located in the Castle District is the Mattias Church of Our Lady Buda, a beautiful church built in the 13th century.  You can see in the photos the beautiful ceramic tiles on the roof of the church.  The church is also beautiful inside and is uniquely decorated.  During the time that Turkey controlled this area, the Turks turned the church into a mosque and painted over,the original frescos,that had adorned the church walls.  Because Muslims do not allow depictions of people in the mosque, the walls are adorned with geometric designs.  The church has an interesting history and you can real more about it at Mattias Church history. 

Because the District is on the top of the hill facing the Danube, there is a spectacular view of the river and the Pest Side of the cit, and the Chain Bridge.  In particular the view of the Parliament facing the Danube is fantastic, as the primary facade of the Parliament faces the river.  Below you can see Parliament in the background.

For all of the photos from this location, click the Castle District link in the Photo Albums section on the right side of this blog.