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Budapest2006-10 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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At the entrance of the Fishermen´s Bastion
(Halászbástya), which is one
of the most popular spots of the Castle District
among tourists.
Almost
fairytale like in appearance, its decorative
white rampart and flowing staircases stretch
alongside the eastern front of the Mátyás
Templom. According to tradition, the area
directly behind the church housed a local
fish market during medieval times - hence
the name of the Bastion. During the 18th century,
the Guild of Fisherman are also said to have
traditionally defended this part of the castle
wall.
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Budapest2006-11 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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Framed in the arches of Fishherman’s bastions
is the statue of the first Hungarian King St.
Stephen (Szent István), carved in 1906
by Alajos Strobl. The sculptor also included
a self-portrait in the relief around the base
of the monument.
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Budapest2006-12 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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A photo showing four of the towers of the Fishermen's
Bastion, the statue of St. Stephen and a corner
of Mattias church.
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Budapest2006-13 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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The
Fishermen's Bastion was designed by Frigyes
Schulek and was built in 1905, for purely
ornamental reasons.
The
Bastion is made up of seven round towers (of
which four are visible in this photo) - each
one symbolising the seven Magyar tribes that
effectively gave rise to the nation a thousand
years earlier.
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Budapest2006-14 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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Malin and I near the most beautiful and fairytale-like
tower of the Fishermen's Bastion.
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Budapest2006-15 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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View from the Fishermen's Bastion of the Danube
River and three of the seven bridges: Elisabeth
bridge (Erzsebet hid), Freedom bridge (Szabadsag
hid) and Petofi bridge (Petofi hid).
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Budapest2006-16 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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One
of the most famous and decorated churches
in Budapest is Matthias church (Matyas Templom),
which is situated in the castle district on
the Buda side.
Officially
named as the Church of Our Lady, it has been
popularly named after King Matthias Corvinus
(Good King Mátyás) who ordered
the construction of its original southern
tower. In many respects, the 700 year history
of the church serves as a symbol (or perhaps
a reminder for Hungarians) of the city's rich,
yet often tragic history. Not only was the
church the scene of several coronations, including
that of Charles IV in 1916 (the last Habsburg
king), it was also the site for King Mátyás'
two weddings (the first to Catherine of Podiebrad
and, after her death, to Beatrice of Aragon).
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Budapest2006-17 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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The darkest period in the church's history
was the century and a half of Turkish occupation.
The vast majority of its ecclesiastical treasures
were shipped off to Pozsony (Bratislava) and
following the capture of Buda in 1541 the
church spent life as the city's main mosque.
To add insult to injury, ornate frescoes that
previously ordained the walls of the building
were whitewashed and interior furnishings
stripped out.
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 was Frigyes
Schulek.
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Budapest2006-18 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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Close up photos of Matthias church architecture
- small tower at the sides of the church.
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Budapest2006-19 : Holiday in Budapest, Hungary (Jun/06) |
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Close up photos of Matthias church architecture
- the central part of the tower.
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