VIKING TRAVELOG GRAND EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISE RHINE-MAIN- RIVERS

DAY 14 –

Entering Budapest, on the Danube River. in view.

HUNGARY’S GRACEFUL AND INSPIRING CAPITAL Take in one of Europe’s great cultural capitals. Over the last few decades, Budapest has reemerged as one of the continent’s iconic cities, divided by the lilting Danube and connected by the graceful Chain Bridge. Meet your guide for a panoramic tour, beginning in modern Pest. Along the elegant Andrássy Avenue, the Champs-Élysées of Budapest, admire the Hungarian State Opera House. Stop at Heroes’ Square, a wide-open plaza of monuments and statues commemorating the Magyar state. Across the river, explore the more traditional side of the city. Here you will visit the Castle District with its massive hilltop castle complex, the turreted Fishermen’s Bastion and , named for the country’s most popular medieval king. From the heights of Buda Hill, enjoy fantastic views of the famous Chain Bridge, the first span to ever connect the two halves of the city when it opened in 1849.

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Ancient Viking longship (galley prow with oars) sculpture (winged figurehead) at the Margaret Bridge. http://www.aviewoncities.com/budapest/margaretbridge.htm [Note: This vivid image came to mind at the end of the day when an accident occurred near here. I write about it in my epilogue.]

First sighting of the majestic Parliament building on the Pest side of Buda-Pest.

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The Buda side of Buda-Pest. The Castle complex could be seen on the hill.

The Parliament Building is built in the Gothic Revival style; it has a symmetrical façade and a central . The dome is Revival architecture. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Parliament_Building

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Buda Castle is the historical castle and complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest. It was first completed in 1265, but the massive palace today occupying most of the site was built between 1749 and 1769. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda_Castle

In the distance was the Liberty Statue (Freedom Statue), a monument on the Gellert Hill which commemorates those who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom, and prosperity of Hungary. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Statue_(Budapest)

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The main façade overlooks the River Danube, but the official main entrance is from the square on the east side of the building. Inside and outside, there are altogether 242 sculptures on the walls. The façade displays statues of Hungarian rulers, Transylvanian leaders and famous military figures.

Equestrian statue of Gyula Andrássy, next to the Hungarian Parliament Building. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyula_Andr%C3%A1ssy 5

I took this opportunity to have a picture taken of me with the Grand Parliament Building from the deck of Viking Tir. We weren’t going to visit the Parliament building. With its height of 96 m (315 ft), it is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest, along with Saint Stephen's . The number 96 refers to the nation's millennium, 1896, and the conquest of the later in 896.

As our Viking longship continued to slowly move down the Danube River, the panoramic view on both sides of the river, the Buda & Pest sides, came closer into view. On the right side (Buda), the magnificent view was absolutely dazzling, especially the Matthias Church (aka Church of Our Lady of Buda) a Roman , in front of the Fisherman's Bastion at the heart of Buda's Castle District. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_Church

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I could understand now – as I had read – why Budapest had reemerged as one of the continent’s iconic cities.

I could see the neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style Fisherman’s Bastion, with its seven towers, which represent the seven Magyar (Uralic-speaking) tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 895. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisherman%27s_Bastion

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The Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary. It was opened in 1849. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sz%C3%A9chenyi_Chain_Bridge

The Burg castle (previously called the Royal Palace) now houses the Hungarian National Gallery and The Budapest History Museum. It sits on the south tip of Castle Hill, bounded on the north by what is known as the Castle District 8

The Budapest Castle Hill Funicular or Budavári Sikló is a funicular railway in the city of Budapest. It links the Adam Clark Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge at river level to above. The line was opened on March 2, 1870, and has been in municipal ownership since 1920. This funicular rail was the second in Europe, only Lyon had a similar transportation system at that time. The line has the following technical parameters:

• Length: 95 meters (312 ft) • Height: 51 meters (167 ft) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_C astle_Hill_Funicular

Guardian lions at each end of the Chain Bridge. The lions at each of the abutments were carved in stone by the sculptor János Marschalkó and installed in 1852. They are similar in design to the bronze lions of Trafalgar Square (commissioned 1858, installed 1867). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sz%C3%A9chenyi_Chain_Bridge

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Our “Panoramic tour of Budapest” began at 9:00 am. Our tour guide was Viktoria. As we drove through the Pest side, Viktoria told us some history: “The Pest (pronounced Pesht) side was a fishing village at the beginning. Pest means oven because it’s very hot in the summer; Buda comes from the word for water because of the thermal springs. There are 118 springs in Budapest; there’s a volcanic fault line along the Danube, creating thermal springs. Downtown is similar to , with boulevards connecting streets. The beauty is in the details, especially on the Pest side.”

Viktoria: “Pest side was built mainly in the 1800’s. In 1838 we had a great flood, with more than 300 buildings destroyed. After the great flood, they had to rebuild the whole city, with a new style of building in the order that you see now.”

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Viktoria: “We are driving on Andrassy Avenue. It’s known as the ‘Hungarian Broadway’, and it leads to Heroes Square.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%91s%C3%B6k_tere

Viktoria: “In 1896 we had our country’s 1,000-year celebration. Heroes Square was built for that occasion. Heroes Square was the ‘gate’ for that celebration. On top of the monument is Archangel Gabriel, who is holding the double cross, meaning the king is above religion. St. Stephen got that cross from the pope. According to legend, Archangel Gabriel showed up in a dream to the pope, who was told to give the holy crown (and double cross) to Stephen.” 11

Viktoria: “On the bottom of the column we have the seven tribes (tribal leaders of the Magyars, or ) on horses.” The Magyar chieftains who led the Hungarian people into the Carpathian basin. In the front is Árpád, considered the founder of the Hungarian nation. Behind him are the chieftains Előd, Ond, Kond_(chieftain), Tas, Huba, and Töhötöm (Tétény). Little survives in the historical record about these individuals and both their costumes and their horses are considered to be more fanciful than historically accurate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_chieftains_of_the_Magyars

Charioteer with a snake, symbol of war. Archangel Gabriel with double cross. The chariot of peace was female, and she faced the male chariot of war..

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Our friends Cathy and Joe were with us on the tour. They’re looking at the Museum of Fine Arts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Fine_Arts_(Budapest)

The Budapest zoo and botanical garden is the oldest zoo part in Hungary and one of the oldest in the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Fine_Arts_(Budapest)

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The Capital Circus of Budapest. Its current building opened in 1971 and is the only stone circus in Central Europe. It seats 1450 people, and features animal, clown, and artistic performing acts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_Circus_of_Budapest As the bus drove to the highlight of the tour, Viktoria gave us a history lesson: “We had the Hungarian kingdom until the 16th century. The ruled the Balkans, and they wanted to come up north to central Europe. They conquered many parts of the Hungarian Kingdom. After 150 years, the defeated the Turks and ruled over Hungary. Austria made an alliance with Hungary, creating the Austrian-

Hungarian Empire (monarchy) in 1867. The golden age of Hungary started at that time, and developed a lot, with many buildings being built. But all good things come to an end. WWI ended the Austrian-Hungarian empire. In the Treaty of 1920, the lands previously owned were taken away (i.e. Serbia, ). Two-thirds of the territory was lost. During WWII, Germany promised Hungary it would be given some of the lands back. Promise was not kept. Romania got Transylvania. From Hungary, 600 Jews were taken away, so we changed sides. The Soviets were closer to us, and they came to help us fight against the Germans (Nazis). So in Dec. 1944, 50 days of siege started while Soviets were fighting Nazis. Many buildings were destroyed during the fighting (bombing). The Russians won, and as the 14

Germans left, they burned and destroyed all our bridges. At the beginning we were happy for the Soviets, and we even erected a Liberty Statue for them. We didn’t take those statues away after the collapse of Communism. Then there was the Hungarian revolt against Communism during the economic crisis of Oct. 1956. 100 people died on Oct. 25th, known as ‘Bloody Thursday.’ The Red Army came and shot down the uprising and took many politicians to jail. We are now entering the Jewish District. During WWII, 100,000 Hungarians left the city. Others were caught in the ghetto during the 50 days of siege.” Straight ahead was the Dohany Street Synagogue, with its distinct dome. We are now entering the Jewish District. During WWII, 100,000 Hungarians left the city. Others were caught in the ghetto during the 50 days of siege.”

Straight ahead was the Dohany Street Synagogue, with its distinct dome. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dohány_Str eet_Synagogue Viktoria: “This is the biggest synagogue in Europe. It was built in the 1800s, and it suffered damage in WWII. The monument of Tree of Life was supposed to be a menorah upside down.”

In memory of those who had died, there is a memorial by the sculptor, Imre Varga, depicting a weeping willow with the names and tattoo numbers of the dead and disappeared just behind the Synagogue, in the Holocaust Memorial Park. The weeping willow (aka Tree of Life) is actually a memorial to at least 400,000 Jews who were murdered by the Nazis.

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It is not customary to have a cemetery next to a synagogue, and the establishment of the 3,000 m2 cemetery was only the result of historical circumstances. In 1944, as a part of the Eichmann-plan, 70,000 Jews were relocated to the Ghetto of Pest. Until 18 January 1945, when the Russians liberated the ghetto, around 8,000 to 10,000 people had died, although, one part of the deceased were transferred to the Kozma Street Cemetery, but 2,000 people were buried in the makeshift cemetery.

The synagogue was built between 1854 and 1859 in the Moorish Revival style, with the decoration based chiefly on Islamic models from North Africa and medieval Spain (the Alhambra). The synagogue's Viennese architect, Ludwig Förster, believed that no distinctively Jewish architecture could be identified, and thus chose "architectural forms that have been used by oriental ethnic groups that are related to the Israelite people, and in particular the Arabs." It seats 3,000 people and is a center of Neolog Judaism. 16

The building is 75 meters (246 ft) long and 27 meters (89 ft) wide. The style of the Dohány Street Synagogue is Moorish but its design also features a mixture of Byzantine, Romantic and Gothic elements. Two onion sit on the twin octagonal towers at 43 meters (141 ft) height. A rose stained-glass window sits over the main entrance. Similarly to , the building consists of three spacious richly decorated aisles, two balconies and, unusually, an organ. Its ark contains various torah scrolls taken from other synagogues destroyed during . The Central Synagogue in Manhattan, New York City is a near-exact copy of the Dohány Street Synagogue.

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We were now going to the Buda side, across the Elizabeth Bridge. The Elizabeth Bridge is the only Danube bridge in Budapest that would not be rebuilt after the devastations of World War II. Instead, a completely new suspension bridge was built between 1960 and 1964, nearly two decades after the destruction of the original Elizabeth Bridge. The Buda end of the bridge runs straight into the foot of Gellért Hill with the statue of St. Gellért who was thrown to his death from the hill by rebellious heathens in 1046. http://www.bridgesofbudapest.com/bridge/elizabeth_bridge

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Huge sculptures of WWI soldiers on display on Buda side, as we were driving towards the Castle District. https://www.alamy.com/sculptures-of-soldiers-of-first-world-war-at- aprod-street-in-budapest-hungary-image226868522.html

We were now in the Castle District, driving past the Budapest Castle Bazaar, at the foot of Castle Hill. https://archello.com/project/castle-garden-bazaar-varkert-bazar

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The Castle Bazaar (aka Varkert Bazar) was actually a series of buildings and gardens built between 1875-1883. It was refurbished and handed over to the public Aug.2014. https://www.budapestbylocals.com/budapest-castle-bazaar.html

We drove through the 350-meter long Buda Castle Tunnel to get to the Castle District. https://welovebudapest.com/en/venue/buda-castle-tunnel-2/

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The Buda Castle looked like something out of a fairy tale. I could see why this treasured place was declared part of the Budapest World Heritage Site in 1987.

Red Circle – “You are standing here” Castle District (Várnegyed) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Buda_Castle_Info_Map.JPG https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda_Castle (Buda Castle) https://youtu.be/n6HNKap67W0 (38:18) Walking in Castle Buda. (Budapest, Hungary)

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Viktoria made sure we understood where we were (on the map) so we could orient ourselves as we walked from place to place within the Castle District.

Honvéd szobor (aka statue of Independence War) (1893) in Disz tér commemorating the War of Liberation of 1848-49 Castle Hill, Budapest. Built in 1893, by Zala György, this bronze statue celebrates the freedom fighters, who fought, and in many cases also died, in one of the most important battles of The Independence War - the battle at the Buda Castle in 1848. The statue stands close to the Fisherman's Bastion. Dedicated to anonymous heroes, the statue's banner reads "Freedom or Death." https://travel.sygic.com/en/poi/statue-of- independence-war-poi:8981898

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House of Houdini in the Castle District. The House of Houdini is devoted to the greatest magician and escape artist of all time, Hungarian born Harry Houdini. The House aims to present the largest permanent exhibition of his artifacts in Europe. http://www.houseofhoudinibudapest.com/

Artikon - this art & ikon gift shop in the Castle District seemed to cater to the tastes of Russian Orthodox iconography.

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The basket of easter eggs at the Artikon gift shop was filled with delightful ‘pisanki’ (richly ornamented decorations and designs). The Artikon shop had a framed picture of what appeared to me to be Our Lady of Spring (Flora). In Roman mythology, Flora is a Sabine- derived goddess of flowers and of the season of spring – a symbol for nature and flowers (especially the may-flower). While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime, as did her role as goddess of youth. Her festival (Floralia), held between April 28 and May, symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_(myth ology)

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We walked by many shops on our way to the main attractions of the Castle District.

The main attraction came into view as we ascended to the highest point of Castle Hill. It was the Matthias Church. The first church on the site was founded by Saint Stephen, in 1015. This building was destroyed in 1241 by the ; the current building was constructed in the latter half of the 13th century. Originally named after the Virgin Mary, taking names such as "The Church of Mary" and "The Church of Our Lady," Matthias Church was named after King Matthias in the 19th Century, who ordered the transformation of its original southern tower. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_Church

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Holy Trinity Statue in Buda Castle, Trinity Square http://budacastlebudapest.com/holy-trinity-statue-buda-castle-district/ Located near Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion, the Holy Trinity Statue can be found in the middle of Trinity Square. The column commemorates the people of Buda who died from two outbreaks of the Black Plague. The Black Plague (causing the death of 30-60% of Europe’s total population) swept across Europe in 1691 and 1709, and many were buried in mass graves. Since people believed that erecting a column would away the plague, the foundation stone was laid in 1700. Even though, the first pillar was ready by 1706, three years later the plague returned to Budapest, and therefore a new, larger plague pillar was planned in order to keep the plague away at any costs. Residents believed the Holy Trinity Statue did its job, as the plague never returned after 1709.

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The Castle Hill: Church, Bastion, etc.

The Fisherman’s Bastion is, in all likelihood, one of the most visited attractions in Budapest. This is the place where locals and tourists come to enjoy the city views. The Fisherman’s Bastion was built between 1895 and 1902 as part of the series of developments that were to celebrate the 1000th birthday of the Hungarian state. Consequently, the Bastion was inspired by the architectural style of the early medieval times (Neo-Romanesque) approx. the year 1000, when the first Hungarian king started his rule. What is more, the 7 towers of the Halaszbastya features the 7 Hungarian chieftains who had led their tribes to the present day Hungary to settle down in 895, and the Statue of St Stephen (1906), the first Hungarian king (1000-1038). In short, it is a historical monument for the millennial Hungary. http://www.fishermansbastion.com/history

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With our traveling companions, Cathy Pettigrew and Joe DeFrancisco.

Matthias Church is unlike many of the typical churches dating back to the . The church was used as a coronation church by Hungarian kings for centuries, also a for over 150 years by the Ottoman Turks, once owned by , Jesuits, now a thriving Catholic church with holy masses, concerts, plenty of weddings, thousands of tourists. The graceful architecture and stunningly rich, all embracing wall paintings of the majestic building will leave you speechless. http://budacastlebudapest.com/matthias-church/

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Viktoria gave us some useful hints before she concluded the walking tour outside and prepared to get the tickets for us to go inside the church. She told us not to pay five euros to go to the top of the Fisherman’s Bastion. The view of the city of Budapest from the lower level was just as good. Also, she said she would guide us briefly inside the church to see the wall paintings. She would point out a few items of interest and then allow us to explore on our own. Finally, she advised everyone to pick up a note for tourists on the table at the exit.

encroachment and seemed all but doomed to lose their hold on bloodline and border.At this dark moment, the Hungarians looked to a 15 year old boy, Mátyás (or Matthias in English) for salvation. According to legend, Matthias’ mother sent for him with a raven with a ring in its beak. The raven supposedly flew non-stop from Transylvania to and thus the boy king of Ravens was crowned. The raven-with-ring motif became part of the family crest, as well as the family name: Corvinus (Latin for “raven”) . Matthias became the ideal The Raven of Matyas Corvinus. In the Renaissance king, progressive and well- middle of the 15th century, Hungary had educated in the Humanist tradition. bad luck hanging on to its foreign kings: http://avesnoir.com/the-raven-of- Two of them died unexpectedly within matyas-corvinus/ seven years. They suffered amidst plague, treachery, and foreign

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http://www.aviewoncities.com/budapest/matthiaschurch.htm (Matthias Church, interior) https://www.360cities.net/image/interior-of-matthias-church-budapest (360 degrees)

Above the coat-of-arms and the Virgin Mary Gate you can see a series of frescoes by Bertalan Szekely depicting the five joyous and five sorrowful secrets of the Rosary.

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(1) The Holy Crown of Hungary. (2) The coat-of-arms of the Arpad dynasty with lines. (3) The coat-of-arms of Dalmatia with a lion head. (4) The coat-of-arms of the Arpad dynasty with the double cross. (5) The coat-of-arms of the Hynyadi dynasty of a raven with a ring in its beak. (6) The coat-of-arms of Bohemia with a lion. The Coat-of-Arms of King Matyas. Matyas – “the just” – one of the greatest kings of Hungary reigned from 1458 to 1490. For 400 years his coat-of-arms decorated the 3rd storey of the belfry constructed under his auspices. It was moved here only at the end of the 19th century, when Karoly Lotz painted two of the warriors of the king’s famous Black Army next to it. Above the painting you can see the portrait of the great renaissance king, whose ceremonial seating upon the throne took place in this church, just as his two weddings. The church in the Buda Castle dedicated to Our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary is popularly called Matyas Church in remembrance of his generous constructional works. Above the coat-of-arms and the Virgin Mary Gate you can see a series of frescoes by Bertalan Szekely depicting the five joyous and five sorrowful secrets of the Rosary respectively. This most important prayer of the Virgin Mary cult approaches Jesus by recollecting the depicted events. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Hungary

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Stained-glass windows.

Ornate Columns and .

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The Loretto Chapel The Loreto Chapel, beneath the South Tower, holds the statue of the Baroque Madonna, a replica of the original in the Italian village of Loreto.

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The Noonday Bell In 1456, only three years after the fall of Bizentium (Byzantium), Hungary had to stand alone defending the Christian world in the face of the conquering Islamic forces. The king – the Hapsburg Laszlo V – ran away together with his army. Pope Callixtus III ordered the bells to be sounded every noon for the whole Christian world to pray to Virgin Mary for help. Ianos Hunyadi received the cross from the hands of the papal legate in this church. He met the Sultan’s army at Nandorfehervar as the head of the army of crusaders raised by the Franciscan friar Saint and won his historic victory near the present day city of . The triptych is the work of Karoly Lotz.

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The Saint Imre Altar. Following the reconstruction works lead by , the chapel of the Zichy family was devoted to the honor of Prince Saint Imre (died in 1031). The altar pieces depicting the birth, upbringing, the visit at the Benedictine friars, and the bier of Imre were painted by Mihaly Zichy. The figure of St. Imre can be seen in the company of his father – King St. Istvan – and his tutor – St. Gellert – on the altar. (Tradition holds that the first church at this site was founded by King St Istvan and St Gellert was buried here when he suffered martyrdom at Mt. Gellert. After the premature death of Prince Imre, King Istvan – left without an heir – bequeathed the country to Virgin Mary, that is why the Blessed Virgin is depicted with the Holy Corwn on her head.

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I noticed a unique Tetramorph configuration as I looked at the ceiling. It did not have the usual 4 evangelists depicted alongside the 4 living creatures. The 4 living (winged) creatures (man, lion, eagle, bull) were depicted on the 4 corners (of the universe) by themselves. There was no need for subterfuge here. It was the Fixed Cross of the Zodiac (Aquarius the man, Leo the lion, Scorpio the eagle, Taurus the bull) that was always the secret teaching illustrated on the ceilings of churches (or on statues of the 4 “evangelists” with their zodiac symbols). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetramorph

(1) Mandylion altar (2) Romantic figures under a swirling gold sky play out the death and miracles of St László.

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Tomb of King Bela III and Anne de Chatillon, Trinity Chapel, Matthias Church Tetramorph (4 evangelists’ corresponding “fixed cross” zodiac living creatures) – above tomb within semi-circle. – are buried in the Holy Trinity Chapel. The young Bela was raised in Byzantium as heir to the imperial throne. However, when his hopes of becoming emperor were ruined, he returned to Hungary and acceded to the throne. His rule concluded the decades of vicious struggle for the throne, and he brought prosperity to the country during his 24 year long reign. It was he who introduced in Hungary the use of written records in the administration, and he invited the newly established Cistercian Order to the country. This fact is commemorated by the silver wreath of the Order at the tomb. Bela III manifests the ideal of the knight- king. He initiated the canonization of his ideal – King Laszlo I – and later on he himself became an outstanding member The Bela Chapel. King Bela III (1172- of the family of saints, the Arpad dynasty. 1196) and his first wife – Ann Chantillon

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The Sanctuary. The heart of the church – the Neo-Roman high altar – is the work of Frigyes Schulek. The statue of the Madonna at its center was crowned – with the authorisation of the Pope – by a replica of the Holy Crown of Hungary on 15th August 2000 as part of the millennial celebrations of the foundation of the state of Hungary. John Paul II gave his blessing on the crown, which was then taken back to Hungary on foot by a group of pilgrims from the congregation of the Church. The journey of the pilgrims lasted a month. The stained glass windows of the sanctuary depict Biblical saints. The Christ figure of the window in the center shines through the luminous crown of the statue of Mary in the light of the rising Sun. (The Sun rises in the axis of the building on the day dedicated to the honor of Our Lady.)

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A bronze statue of mounted on a horse, erected in 1906, can be seen between the Bastion and the Matthias Church. The pedestal was made by Alajos Stróbl, based on the plans of Frigyes Schulek, in Neo- Romanesque style, with episodes illustrating the King's life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_I_ of_Hungary https://youtu.be/hwe7Nqwo-E8 (37:06) (King Stephen overture, Op. 117 Beethoven)

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisherman%27s_Bastion

View of Buda-Pest from Fisherman’s Bastion, a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo- Romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill in Budapest, around Matthias Church.

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View of Danube River flowing through Buda-Pest. The church was also the location of the "Mary-wonder." In 1686 during the by the a wall of the church collapsed due to cannon fire. It turned out that an old votive Madonna statue was hidden behind the wall. As the sculpture of the Virgin Mary appeared before the praying Muslims, the morale of the garrison collapsed and the city fell on the same day. Although following Turkish expulsion in 1686 an attempt was made to restore the church in the Baroque style, historical evidence shows that the work was largely unsatisfactory. It was not until the great architectural boom towards the end of the 19th century that the building regained much of its former splendour. The architect responsible for this work undertaken in 1873- 96 was Frigyes Schulek. The church was restored to its original 13th- century plan. By also adding new motifs of his own (such as the diamond pattern roof tiles and gargoyles laden spire) Schulek ensured that the work, when finished, would be highly controversial.

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https://www.britannica.com/place/Hungary/History

View of the Pest side from the Fisherman’s Bastion.

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There was so much to see – and admire.

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Mary’s Gate (south)

Oh, yeah – the note I got at the exit said:

“And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: ‘God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble.’” 1 Peter 5:5

Statue on Szentharomsag, Utca (Trinity street) - Muemlek (listed plaque, in Hungarian)

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Pretending to eat the biggest ice cream cone I’ve ever seen.

Pictured a bronze equestrian statue of Hadik Andras in Budapest, Hungary. Count András Hadik de Futak was the Commander of a Habsburg army corps in the Seven Years` War from 1756 to 1763. They captured the Prussian capital Berlin during the war. The sculptor was Vastagh Gyorgy. 1936 https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/andras-hadik.html

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View of Budapest from Castle Hill.

With our traveling companions, Joe-n-Cathy.

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Statue of a Hussar inspecting the edge of his sword, Castle Hill. The Hussar is dressed in a 17th century uniform.

This bronze statue on its limestone pedestal was created by Hungarian artists Zsigmond Kisfaludy Stróbl.

To pay homage to all the brave and courageous Hussars who died defending Hungary.

The nearby Sándor Palace contains the offices and of the . http://budacastlebudapest.com/sandor-palace-buda-castle-district/

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Medieval royal castle ruins across the street from Sandor Palace. Szent Gyorgy Square (on Buda Castle Hill). Partially excavated.

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Guards posted at Sandor Palace (Hungarian Presidential palace).

Changing of the guard at Sandor Palace.

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Going through the tunnel on our way back to the Viking longship.

After we got out of the tunnel I could see the two lions, guardians of the Chain Bridge.

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Margaret Bridge. Viktoria told us a story about how the bridge got its name. According to legend, Margaret was the daughter of Bela IV of Hungary, and her father didn’t want her marrying a cruel king, so she was sent to a convent on the island. The bridge nowadays connects with .

View of the Parliament building from Margaret Bridge.

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View of the Danube River from Margaret Bridge.

Naval Ship Museum. This was the world’s oldest naval monitor ship (the Lajta), anchored next to the Hungarian Parliament building. It was built in 1871.

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The on the Danube Bank is a memorial in Budapest, Hungary. Conceived by film director Can Togay, he created it on the east bank of the Danube River with sculptor Gyula Pauer to honor the Jews who were killed by fascist Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during World War II. They were ordered to take off their shoes, and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. It represents their shoes left behind on the bank. The monument is located on the Pest side of the in line with where Zoltan Street would meet the Danube if it continued that far, about 300 meters (980 ft) south of the Hungarian Parliament and near the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; between Roosevelt Square and . "The composition titled '' gives remembrance to the 3,500 people, 800 of them Jews, who were shot into the Danube during the time of the Arrow Cross terror. The sculptor created sixty pairs of period-appropriate shoes out of iron. The shoes are attached to the stone embankment, and behind them lies a 40 meter long, 70 cm high stone bench. At three points are cast iron signs, with the following text in Hungarian, English, and Hebrew: "To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–45. Erected 16 April 2005." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoes_on_the_Danube_Bank

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The “Shoes on the Danube Bank” Monument was the last part of our Panoramic Budapest tour with Viktoria. As we were dropped off at our Viking longship, she said a few final words to us: “Thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoyed your tour of the city, and I hope Budapest exceeded your expectations.” We gave her the customary tip (usually 2 or more euros), and said thank you in return. It was an enjoyable tour.

Later that evening, after dinner, a tragedy struck nearby at the Margaret Bridge area. The Viking Sigyn longship collided with the Hableany (Mermaid) tour boat, and 25 South Koreans perished. Seven were rescued. The seven were ushered through our Viking Tir longship to safety. There was a lot of commotion on our longship as our program director Stephen Guy tried to help with the rescue efforts. I only found out about the incident later in the night. What struck me when I heard that the boat’s name Hableany meant “mermaid” in Hungarian was a memory of almost two weeks ago. Immediately, my mind thought of the Lorelei legend (and mermaid) that we saw and heard about on the Rhine River. Also mysterious to me was the name of the Viking longship – Sigyn. I always liked to check the names and their meanings, and I found the following on the Viking webpage: Viking Sigyn, goddess of fidelity. Wife of the mischievous god Loki. Dedicated and loyal, she stays with her husband during her final punishment, when Odin’s son Vali kept him bound to avenge the death of his brother. Was there a connection between the previous Vali longship we were on? I don’t know. But there it was – in black and white. Later, I located a couple of YouTube videos of the tragic night when the stormy night – and the Danube River -- claimed the lives of 25 souls. https://youtu.be/FWsssSLzIFA (3:22) Hungary boat tragedy, rescue efforts near Margaret Bridge. https://youtu.be/nOrGeHq3rho (1:30) Budapest boat crash: police release footage of moment boats collided. https://www.cbc.ca/1.5155324 (news report)

Note: At the beginning of this chapter on Budapest, I posted and wrote about the place where the accident and rescue effort took place: Ancient Viking longship (galley prow with oars) sculpture (winged figurehead) at the Margaret Bridge. http://www.aviewoncities.com/budapest/margaretbridge.htm [Note: This vivid image came to mind at the end of the day when an accident occurred near here. I write about it in my epilogue.]

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Epilogue: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/07/06/hungary-death-toll-danube- river-boat-crash-rises-27/1664085001/ Budapest tour-boat crash: Death toll in Danube tragedy climbs to 27 The Published July 6, 2019 | Updated 10:27 a.m. ET July 8, 2019 Twenty-five of the 33 South Koreans aboard the Hableany (Mermaid) tour boat have been confirmed dead, as well as the two-man Hungarian crew. One South Korean remains missing and seven were rescued.

Flowers and flag of South Korea are laid on the Margit (Margaret) Bridge where a sightseeing boat capsized in Budapest, Hungary. Hungarian police say a South Korean woman recovered from the Danube River has been identified as the 27th fatality of the May 29 crash between a tour boat and a cruise ship. (Photo: Laszlo Balogh, AP)

Members of a South Korean rescue team working on recovery operations at the Margaret Bridge in Budapest on Monday.CreditCreditTamas Kovacs/EPA, via Shutterstock The captain (Ukrainian identified only as C. Yuriy) was detained after his ship, the 442-foot Viking Sigyn, rammed an 89-foot sightseeing boat called the Mermaid from the rear on May 29, capsizing the smaller vessel in the Danube. 55

Resources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest (Budapest) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda_Castle (Buda Castle) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_Church (Mattias Church) https://daydreamtourist.com/2015/04/13/matthias-church-budapest/ (Exuberant Hungarian: the Art of Matthias Church) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Parliament_Building (Hungarian Parliament Building) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dohány_Street_Synagogue (Dohany Street Synagogue) http://visitbudapest.travel/articles/budapest-bridges/ (Budapest bridges) http://www.bridgesofbudapest.com/index.php (eight famous bridges of Budapest) http://www.bridgesofbudapest.com/bridge/margaret_bridge (Margaret Bridge) http://www.bridgesofbudapest.com/bridge/chain_bridge (Chain Bridge) http://www.mapaplan.com/travel-map/budapest-hungary-city-top-tourist-attractions- printable-street-plan/budapest-top-tourist-attractions-map.htm (tourist maps)

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