Fisherman's Bastion
Seven white neo-Romanesque turrets, facing Parliament across the Danube.
Duration
45 min – 1 hr 15 min
Best time
At sunrise
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
The bastion never defended anything. It was built between 1895 and 1902 as a viewing terrace, on the old castle wall, and takes its name from the fishermen's guild that held this stretch of rampart in the Middle Ages.
Its seven white turrets stand for the seven Magyar tribes that reached the Carpathian basin in 895. The lower terraces are free and already give the view over Parliament; only the upper gallery is ticketed, and the difference in outlook is slight.
Getting there
Bus 16 from Deák Ferenc tér up to Castle Hill, or the funicular from the Chain Bridge. The steps from Batthyány tér climb in fifteen minutes.
What to bring
- Walking shoes
- Swimsuit
Rules on site
The lower terraces are free and give almost the same view as the ticketed gallery: look before you buy. Morning light hits Parliament head-on; evening light puts it against the sun.
Other places in Budapest
- Hungarian ParliamentTwo hundred and sixty-eight metres of neo-Gothic on the riverbank, the Holy Crown inside.
- Széchenyi BathsEighteen pools in a yellow neo-baroque palace, three of them outdoors and steaming in winter.
- The ruin bars of the Jewish quarterDerelict buildings turned into bars, mismatched furniture and open courtyards.
- Great Market HallA hall of iron and glazed tile, paprika, sausage and lángos upstairs.