Visiting the interior of the Hungarian Parliament

To visit the interior of the Parliament, you have to join a guided tour organised by the Parliament. We booked our tour online before leaving our country. Just show the print-out reply to the guard and you will be allowed in to buy your ticket, avoiding the long queue.

I was the 276291th visitor for the year of 2008

The Main Staircase

Frescoes on the ceiling

Glorification of Hungary

The Dome Hall

Adorning the pillars are the figures of some of the  rulers of Hungary

The Holy Crown of Hungary

This coronation crown has been used by more than 50 kings of the Kingdom of Hungary

The figures depicting the different ancient professions

National Assembly Hall

The Hungarian Parliament

The Hungarian Parliament is the country's largest building. It was built between 1884-1902. This building has become the symbol of democracy in Hungary, despite the dome being crowned by a red star during the Communist period.

The main entrance into Parliament

Memorial to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution

Grave of the Unknown Soldier

Kossuth Ter

This is the station near the Hungarian Parliament.

Statue of a man and his dog

A very deep underground station

Breakfast in the hotel

We started our second day in Budapest by having  our breakfast in the hotel  before walking to Nagyvarad Metro Station. Our first stop was the Hungarian Parliament.

Hotel Fortuna Budapest

We chose this hotel because it is just 300 m from Nagyvarad Metro Station.

Our room

Hosok Tere

This the second oldest underground metro system in the world after London. Its Line 1 (dating back to 1896) was declared a World heritage Site in 2002.

Heroes' Square at night

Hosok Tere metro station

Szechenyi Baths

Budapest is one of the great spa cities of Europe. As such, it was not surprising to find us in hot water in Budapest.

This is the largest baths in Europe. Its hot springs, discovered in 1876, is the deepest (at 970 m depth) and hottest (at 74 degree Celsius) in Budapest.

The steam coming out the conduit

The Baroque architecture

The pools are popular even in winter because of the temperature

Locals playing chess in the pool

It was dark when we left

Vajdahunyad Castle

Here is a complex of buildings reflecting various such as Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.

Gothic building

Romanesque

Jak Chapel - a copy of the benedictine chapel dating back to 1214

Baroque

Bela Lugosi, a Hungarian actor

Statue of Anonymous

Walking through the park to Szechenyi Baths

The Millennium Monument at the Heroes' Square

This monument was designed to commemorate Hungary's Millennium Celebrations in 1896. 

At the centre of the monument is a 36m high Corinthian column upon which stands the Archangel Gabriel  holding St Istvan's crown and a cross, signifying Hungary's conversion to Christianity under King Istvan

Statues of great Hungarians are arranged within the colonnades