Cities: Budapest, the city of floating lights
I had been to Budapest before.
Around 10 years ago, I did my first long solo cycling adventure, following the river Danube 1000km, from Donauworth to Budapest.
I was riding a small single-speed folding cycle, which seemed a good idea at the time. My journey was to raise funds for the charity which I was a director of – Christchurch Citizens Advice Bureau. I’m sure most people here will know what a CAB is, but for those abroad, they are in most towns in the UK and offer free advice on legal issues, citizens rights, debt management and government benefits.
What most people don’t appreciate is that each CAB (whilst affiliated to a national body), is a charity – funded locally, often partially via a grant from a council or government body, but often through donations from the public or other charities.
I decided to raise some funds for the charity by riding between two towns twinned with my own town, Christchurch – Aalen in Germany and Tatabanya, which is a few miles from Budapest in Hungary
It was a great adventure travelling through places I had never been before, along a similar lines to Patrick Leigh Femor’s classic book, “A Time for Gifts”. A lot happened in those thousand miles to the finish line when I lifted my bike at the statue of Victory overlooking the city. This is the subject of a forthcoming book “Single Speed to Budapest”. By the way, it took a poor passer-by 4 attempts to take this photo, but I think it was worth it, don’t you?
Today’s journey would be very different, it was a birthday treat and I only had a couple of days to explore the city.
The City of Domes
To have an understanding of the geography of Budapest you need to appreciate that it is in fact three cities separated by the river. Old Buda (Obuda) on the western bank is a town of hills and lofty viewpoints, of castles and crypts; Buda, the newer areas beneath it, and Pest, the city on the east bank. Unification in 1873 was partially enabled by the construction of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge in 1849, the first permanent connection between the two sides.
As I walked along the river front, the famous old bridge was lit up in the red, white and green colours of the Hungarian flag, for it was the 1956 Revolution Memorial Day Holiday weekend, which I discovered is completely different for the 1848 Revolution Memorial Day Holiday which is in March. Whilst it seems revolution is a popular local pastime, the Hungarians I met were far from revolting.
The bridge is an enlarged version of the English engineer William Tierney Clark’s earlier bridge over the Thames at Marlow, and a plaque here celebrates that these two are the only surviving examples of his work. It looked fabulous in its cloak of patriotic lighting, beautifully set by the backdrop of Buda castle beyond it on the hill.
I crossed the Chain Bridge to walk opposite the Hungarian Parliament, as it is best viewed from across the river in Buda. With an evening flight, time was of the essence to get there as the illumination of the parliament building ends around midnight. I had already lost an hour in timezones between home and my destination, so it was already now past 10pm. I got a ping from a Hungarian friend Magdolna who had seen, from a photo I uploaded, that I was in Budapest. She had been in the city earlier in the day but was home now. She joked I knew more stories about Budapest than she did. I doubted that, but it was a nice compliment on my research.
Being a little way upstream from the centre of Budapest, as you walk the bank the parliament appears as a grand luminescent jewel, somehow inviting you towards it, like the little fly in “A Bugs Life” drawn towards the light – because “it’s so beautiful“. And it is, mesmerisingly so, seemingly floating on the Danube like a huge liner from the golden age of travel.
Approaching, you also become aware of the amazing symmetry in the gothic design, by Hungarian architect Imre Steindl. It is said that the architecture is influenced by the British Houses of Parliament (which he wished to emulate) and the City Hall in Vienna. At the time of construction in 1902, Budapest and Vienna were twin capital cities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire which dominated Central Europe.
Inside sits the Crown of St Stephen, used since the 1100s in the coronations of the kings of Hungary. The powerful illuminating arc beams cross each other above the dome, and it here that I noticed the birds flocking, believing it to be daytime and darting around in the excitement of the light.
Along the way I passed an ornate station set into a stone plinth, measuring the height and flow of the Danube and then continued my walk beyond. After a further mile or so, I crossed another bridge through Margaret Island. Suddenly the great illuminations of Buda and Pest went out and the building became a shadow backlit by the lights of the city. A giant on the riverbank, silent and at sleep until morning.
I find that a walk like this invites serendipity, and sure enough I came across this monument to Imre Nagy, Chairman of the Council of Ministers in Communist Hungary from 1953. In 1956 he became the leader of the Hungarian Revolution, announcing Hungary’s withdrawal from the fledgling Warsaw Pact, and removing links with the USSR. After 15 days, the rising was overpowered by the Soviet army and in time Nagy was executed for treason. He stands forever on this bridge in quiet silence, perhaps representing a country trying to look west rather than east. I sat with him for a few moments in the garden watching bats speed between buildings. There was nobody around this time of night.
A gentle breeze was caught by small Hungarian flags beneath him. I noticed the centres had been removed leaving a circular hole. This represented a key symbol of the revolution, where the hammer and sickle within the communist flag of Hungary was cut out. Sadly it was to return and Nagy was found, wrapped in barbed wire, in a shallow grave. Later his body we removed to a more fitting grave in the city.
Empires and Gardens
The next morning, I took an early walk through the back streets of central Budapest. Even at that hour, there was a hustle and bustle of cars and bicycles, the smell of freshly cooked bread and business people on phones. I was heading for Hosok Tere (Heroes’ Square). Before I arrived some graffiti on a wall described its layout, perhaps suggesting that the riding of cycles, scooters and Segways should be allowed? The centre piece of the square is the Millennium Memorial, not erected as you may think 25 years ago, but in 1896, to celebrate the arrival of the Magyars in the area to put down roots a thousand years before. The seven legendary Magyar chieftain on horseback stand in guard around the central column, surmounted by the Angel Gabriel holding the Crown of St Stephen aloft. In between columns on the right are statues of various Hungarian kings with relief tablets below them showing a great event in their life.
I took a look at some grand buildings opposite, many with marble statues in their walls. One was to Sandor Vandor, a famous composer, now immortalised on the wall of his studio in dramatic communist style. In another corner piece, a bugler calls the soldiers to arms during the First World War. A swordsman answers the call with a charge.
Beyond the square, I walked though a large park and into the grounds of a fabulous medieval castle surrounded by a moat
All was not as it seemed, as Vajdahunyad Castle was only built at the same time as the Millennium Memorial in 1896. Designed for an exhibition showcasing 1000 years of Hungary, it cobbled together representations of several real castles. It looks like it has been here for hundreds of years, strong and powerful, so its quite incredible that originally it was made of wood and cardboard, but was so popular it was rebuilt in stone a few years later.
With a bike hired for the day, I took the metro line (the oldest in continental Europe) back to the river, to pick it up. Along the was a small pub aims to get a pot it note from every customer. They hang from the walls, doors, everywhere.
Cycling along the Danube
There was little choice at the bike hire shop. I had just decided to take a bike trip at the last minute, so contacted somewhere local and ended up with a ladies touring bike. It was fine – not very stylish and heavy, but it had dynamo lights and did the job! I wanted to reprise my finish line photo underneath the Statue of Victory, but after 30 minutes hard riding up a hill and through some bumpy park roads, it turned out the statue was closed. Work was going on beneath it. Nevermind, I managed to get a photo a bit further down so it was worthwhile.
I was heading towards the famous “Danube Bend” where after a thousand or more kilometres of heading east, the great river turns 90 degrees and turns south. Apparently due to a stubborn volcano getting in its way a few million years ago. I had not ridden this section on my previous Danube adventure as I had then left the river at Almasfuzito to move inland to Tatabanya. It is always good to see the Danube again, it was my constant friend for around 10 days last time and I loved the variety seen along it’s banks.
Today would be just as nice, once I had exited the suburbs of the city, I found myself on quiet sandy riverside tracks, where expensive homes rubbed shoulders with colourful gypsy shacks and makeshift buildings. People were few and far between and little sandy beaches were populated by a few walkers and the odd fisherman. As it was autumn, the leaves were changing colour and the trees were often clad with brightly coloured climbing plants.
Along the way ancient tree husks gave the impression of sinister forests from the tales of the Brothers Grimm. Even some of the trees had faces, although some were actually smiling and welcoming cyclists! Thankfully my grandmother didn’t live in the woods. My wheels span through fallen leaves, throwing a brightly coloured fluttering display onto the path behind me
After the castle earlier in the day, I then came across another set of fantasy buildings from the turn of the 20th century – the site of an old gas and waterworks. Here I was clearly alongside the Danube, but this ensemble of turrets and clocks wouldn’t look out of place in Moscow’s Red Square. A lot of thought and design had gone into making the mundane more interesting
I stopped to refuel in the town of Szentendre, (in English its St Andrew), a beautiful place known for its colourful painted houses and galleries – over 200 artists have made their home here. I made friends with a very sleepy cat. We idled a few minutes together in the shade – well actually in “the shade of the shades” – as many brightly decorated lamp shades hung overhead!
I took a short trip to a railway museum, before heading back to drop the bike off. Cycling is very thirsty work so I refreshed myself with a local beer at a riverside pub. Szentendre is such a lovely place, quiet but with quite a few watering holes for travellers on the river bank. Sitting here drinking a cold beer, I felt closer to God than I have ever felt before.
There was a very good reason for this – as the village of God was literally just over the river!! Not to be outdone, the next village is “Alsogod”. I imagine the residents of “Felsogod” are even happier!?
I rode back into town, but before I handed the bike back in I managed to listen to a soundcheck my the famous Ukrainian soldiers’ rock band Antytiler who were playing in one of Budapest’s most interesting venues, A38, a ship with converted containers.
Budapest 150
“We skipped the light fandango, turned some cartwheels on the floor, I was feeling kind of seasick, when the crowd called out for more”
It had just happened that my birthday coincided with the anniversary of the 1956 revolution, but also it was the 150th anniversary of the founding of Budapest itself. To celebrate, a huge light show was taking place on Margaret Island. Set in the middle of the river, the island was occupied by the Knights of St John in the 12th century and for hundreds of years was a place of worship.
In the pouring rain I walked the length of the island to “Lumina Park”. On the way I stopped at the famous dancing fountain, to watch the spray and lights jump in tune with the music, to the delight of children sat on its low surround. Nearer the park the sound of 1940s music drew me to a large window, where inside hundreds of ballroom dancers were slowly moving around the floor.
On entering the exhibit, I was guided through the history of the city via a series of fantastic engaging and moving light displays.
One of my favourites was an interactive water polo game in the swimming pool. Various control buttons represented players and by working together with others, you could pass the ball from player to player and finally score a goal. At this point the scoreboard lit up!
Other displays took me through the Roman origins, through the subsequent two millennia, the fall of communism and sitting in an illuminated Trabant car with 80s music on the radio. A big Rubik cube paid homage to Professor Rubik, a teacher in Budapest who was trying to build a structure that could move in 3 dimensions. It was only when he tried to put it back that he realised it would make a great puzzle. the rest is history with over 500 million being sold to date.
Eventually I was taken to the future, by what else but a Delorean car! This digital future was populated by robots, projections and lines of digital lighting.
In just 2 days I had seen and done a lot of things – another adventure clocked up.
Soon I would be on the plane, travelling at over 500 miles an hour, I felt something odd when we hit 88 miles an hour. Instead of going to the future I had gone to the past, as somewhere over the English Channel I went an hour backwards – on my clock at least, to GMT.
