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At Four Seasons, you enjoy a unique vantage point from which to explore the sights, sounds and experiences around you. We hope the highlights of local attractions below help simplify your planning. Please let us know how else we can assist you. Attractions on this page Antique galleries The gallery offers an impressive collection of paintings, mainly by Hungarian painters, as well as special exhibitions.
The Nagyházi Gallery is one of the oldest auction houses in Hungary. As the largest of Budapest's antique contingent, Nagyházi features mainly furniture, paintings and porcelain. Auctions are routinely held at this location every month.
Located in the heart of the city, this gallery offers a wide range of antiques, from jewellery to furniture, and holds several auctions each year.
Art galleries This exhibition space focuses on local and international contemporary works, including sculpture and applied art.
The Kovács Gábor Art Foundation is a unique personal initiative geared toward the support of contemporary art. Kogart House, containing an exhibition space of approximately 1,100 square metres (11,836 square feet), serves as the centre of the foundation. Hungarian and international artists are both represented here, in exhibitions mounted in two-month rotations.
Attractions The magnificent Royal Palace was the primary home for Hungarian kings and queens until 1686, when it was completely destroyed. The castle was rebuilt in 1715 in a modern baroque style and was expanded to its current size in 1790. The original Matthias Church was built in the 13th century and received its final neo-Gothic look in the 19th century. The outstanding Fishermen's Bastion, with its seven turrets representing Hungary's original seven tribes, was built on the site of a former fish market for the country's 1896 millennium; construction was completed in 1902. It offers great views of the city.
Built in the secession (Art Nouveau) style, the world-famous Gellért Thermal Bath, highly favoured by locals and foreigners alike, opened its gates in 1918. It was expanded in 1927 with the wave bath and in 1934 with the effervescent bath. The Bath offers complete thermal bath facilities (including an outpatient hospital) and also features an inhalatorium.
The Millennium Monument – a column 38 metres (125 feet) in height, with the Archangel Gabriel atop – dominates this huge square, the largest in Budapest. The monument was erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Magyar settlement. The Museum of Fine Arts is on one side of the square; the huge Kunsthalle on another.
Once a royal hunting ground, Margit Island is a lovely park in the middle of the Danube. It boasts more than 10,000 trees, a musical fountain, open-air theatre, swimming pool, beautiful gardens and a 5.4-kilometre (3.4-mile) round-the-island running track.
A long-standing feature of old Buda, parts of Matthias Church date back to the 13th century. The architecture reflects the church's eclectic history, including a period as a Turkish mosque. Today, the splendid neo-Gothic church on Castle Hill boasts a grandly painted interior and an exotic 19th-century recreation of the 13th-century original.
A symbol of Hungary and Budapest, this is a magnificent example of neo-Gothic architecture. Constructed between 1885 and 1905, the building features spires, towers and a dome 96 metres (315 feet) in height. It houses the National Assembly and is one of the largest parliament buildings in the world, with 691 rooms. It also houses the Hungarian crown jewels. One of the oldest European crowns, the Holy Hungarian Crown, can be seen here.
The massive Royal Palace overlooks the Danube on the Buda side. It can be reached from the Hotel by walking over Chain Bridge and then taking a five-minute funicular ride up Castle Hill. The Royal Palace houses the National Gallery, the Budapest Historical Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Located in City Woodland Park, this is one of Budapest's most famous and popular thermal baths. The complex includes three swimming pools and 12 thermal pools, with the water temperature in all 15 pools ranging from 20°C (68°F) to 38°C (100°F). Open year round, the pools offer floating chessboards as an added attraction.
City tours Enjoy a three-hour guided multilingual city tour, all in the comfort of an air-conditioned bus. The tour makes three stops at various locations. The company also organises quality full- and half-day tours outside Budapest.
Offering fixed departure times, tours are conducted exclusively in one language and organised in small groups.
A one-hour evening sightseeing cruise on the river, combined with a sound-and-light show. Be enchanted by the illuminated sights and famous Hungarian historical personalities – kings, queens, poets, inventors, as well as the Danube itself – who will share legendary stories about the town. The programme ends with the Blue Danube Waltz.
This guided tour unveils the secrets of Budapest and takes you to the most outstanding attractions in the countryside. Contact the Concierge for more details.
Museums Charting the history of both the Royal Palace and Budapest, the Museum's permanent exhibitions give insight into the medieval cities of Buda and Pest. There are also displays of gothic sculptures and remains from archaeological excavations.
The building housing the museum was used by the Nazi Party in the 1940's, and later became the headquarters of the Communist-era secret service. Now it is a memorial museum about both dictatorships.
The museum collects and preserves artefacts of Hungary and the Hungarian people, from the foundation of the state up to the 20th century. The museum played an important role in the war of independence in 1848, becoming a symbol of freedom and independence.
The Jewish Museum houses a moving memorial to the Hungarian Holocaust. The adjoining Great Synagogue is the world's second largest, seating up to 3,000 people.
The Kunsthalle is located on Heroes' Square, opposite the Museum of Fine Arts. Temporary exhibitions offer a glimpse into the achievements of contemporary Hungarian and foreign artists in fine arts, applied arts, photography and design, as well as showing the latest art trends.
The Museum stands on the northern side of Heroes' Square. It houses the national collection of non-Hungarian art. One of the most impressive galleries of central Europe, it is home to works by famed artists such as El Greco, Goya, Rubens and Rembrandt.
Housed within the Royal Palace, the National Gallery is a real treat for art lovers. It houses Hungary's fine art treasures (including paintings and sculptures), from masterpieces to works by little-known artists, ranging in period from the 10th century to the present day.
Scenic day trips Eger is a town known for its wine and grapes, including the famous Bull's Blood, and its spas. You may also visit Eger Castle, which played an important role in Hungarian history.
As the birthplace of King Stephen I, Esztergom is one of Hungary's most historic cities. It is particularly noted for the Basilica, the Castle Museum, the Christian Museum and the Danube Museum.
Often called the Hungarian Sea due to its size, Lake Balaton measures 600 square kilometres (230 square miles) – 77 kilometres (48 miles) long and 14 kilometres (9 miles) wide. The water off its northern beaches is suitable for strong swimmers, while the southern beaches offer more shallow waters. The lake's eastern beaches are favoured by sun worshippers. A few kilometres from the western edge is Heviz, Europe's largest thermal lake. Its curative hot sulphur springs are popular with those suffering from rheumatism and illnesses of the nervous system.
Visegrád is located 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Budapest. Its Renaissance-era Royal Palace and Castle were the summer residence of the Hungarian royal family. From the castle, visitors can enjoy wonderful view of the famous Danube. On the way back from Visegrád, Szentendre is definitely worth a stop. A town of art galleries and museums, Szentendre's main attraction is its charming Mediterranean-style architecture.
Veszprém is a small town spread over five hills. Its walled Castle Hill district is delightful. In nearby Herend, a museum displays 700 pieces of fine porcelain, including patterns commissioned by Queen Victoria and the Rothschilds.
Shopping The traditional antique district centres on Falk Miksa Street, home to some of the biggest antique dealers, such as Kieselbach and Nagyházi. There are more antique shops located downtown on Váci Street and in the castle district.
Váci utca is a famous shopping promenade. It offers street musicians and a proliferation of folk art, from embroidered tablecloths and sheepskin vests to hand-carved chess sets and leather purses.
Sporting/Concert venues The first Formula One World Championship in Hungary took place here in 1986. The Hungaroring circuit meets the highest technical requirements. Major reconstruction took place in 2003. Tickets can be purchased at Forma 1 Ltd. Telephone: 36 (1) 266 2040.
Theatre/Performing arts The ensemble is respected for its faithful reproductions of village folk costumes and of centuries-old dances and songs from the tiny hamlets that make up most of the country. The ensemble performs regularly from April to October.
The Hungarian State Opera House was built in a neo-Italian Renaissance style in 1884. Known as one of Europe's most elegant opera houses, its luxurious interior with allegorical frescoes is showcased in frequent multilingual tours.
The academy is the official hall of the Liszt Music Academy, where the master himself, Franz Liszt, once taught. With the best acoustics in town, the academy hosts all of Budapest's state orchestras and ensembles.
In keeping with the basic concept of bringing together different branches of the arts under one roof, the building has a number of permanent residents – the Ludwig Museum, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chorus and Music Library and the National Dance Theatre. Also included is the Theatre Hall which seats close to 500, and the Modern National Concert Hall which seats more than 1,800.
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