Budapest, we love you. You are our favorite. Budapest, let us come live with you. We will learn Hungarian and never complain.
Alright, I might be coming on a little strong. Perhaps we were a little jaded by the coldness of Iceland. And the camping. And the hot dogs. But Budapest came through. I’m excited to share and tell you why if you have never considered a Hungarian vacation, you should.
Day 8: Dohany Street Synagogue, Lunch at the Great Market Hall, and Gellert Hill and the Citadel
The Dohany Street Synagogue
The Dohany Street Great Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe, and the second largest synagogue in the world. We weighed not going in because of a fairly steep entry fee- we are trying to be as budget conscious as possible- but our time in Budapest would not have been as meaningful without touring the synagogue and the cemetery in the garden. Our guide was amazing. He was knowledgeable and passionate– everything you would want in a teacher.
I was deeply moved by our visit and could write quite the lengthy post, so I will try to be as concise as possible, while also apologizing for glossing over important nuances and historical details. I am certainly no expert.
The synagogue was constructed from 1854-1859 and seats more than 3,000 people. At the time of its construction, over 200,000 Jews lived in Budapest.
In 1939, prior to German occupation, the Hungarian Arrow Cross party bombed Budapest but left the synagogue unharmed. Once Germany occupied Budapest, the Nazis used the synagogue as their headquarters (so evil) and broadcast radio signals from the top of the tower.
The Jews of Budapest were consolidated into a compact ghetto adjacent to the synagogue until many were forced on a death march to Austria and Germany, ending in concentration camps for those who survived the brutal winter. Between December 1944 and the end of January 1945, the Arrow Cross, Hungarian Nazi-sympathizers, killed nearly 20,000 Jews from the ghetto.
The garden outside of the synagogue which had been designed as an open space for community was turned into a cemetery with bodies piled on top of bodies. A current historical marker reads, “The park with the pool became a graveyard, a memorial to an era when all human feeling was lost.”
As William Faulkner said, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” It is truly evil how much death and destruction was caused by racist and nationalistic ideals espoused within our grandparents’ lifetimes.
Lunch at the Great Market Hall
Imagine the biggest market you have ever seen, filled with fruits, vegetables, meats, spices, and Budapest “street food.” We ordered way too much food and then ate every bite. Delicious.
Gellert Hill and the Citadel
After our very big lunch, we walked up a very big hill to burn it off. Gellert Hill looks over the city, and it was quite the climb. My favorite part was a very active playground with steep slides that would most certainly not pass American playground regulations.
Day 9: Parliament, Buda Castle, St. Matthias Church, the Fisherman’s Wharf, and Dinner at Mazel Tov
Parliament, Buda Castle, St. Matthias Church, and the Fisherman’s Wharf
I’m going to admit to not catching quite as much history here. The castle was raised, destroyed, and raised again. St. Matthias is covered in gold, and a Hungarian king and queen were crowned there. The Fisherman’s Wharf was a great spot to take pictures of the city.
Budapest continued to be beautiful, sunny, and in fine form. Also, Happy 4th of July, America!
Dinner at Mazel Tov
Mazel Tov indeed! The internet is amazing. Rich found the perfect Israeli restaurant, Mazel Tov, online.
I will let the pictures speak for the experience, but it was an amazing meal in a magical atmosphere, complete with a musician covering Taylor Swift on an acoustic guitar. The food was delicious and so reasonable– our appetizer, entrees, and two glasses of wine cost 9900 HUF, the equivalent of $36, tip included. Heaven. We are the luckiest.
Day 10: Szechenyi Thermal Baths
On Day 10, we lay by the pool! Did I mention we love Budapest? We walked for about 45 minutes and arrived at a beautiful bath made of smaller indoor and outdoor pools. Talk about age diversity- young and old were loving life in the water. And sporting all kinds of bathing costumes.
And for your final viewing pleasure, enjoy a little Hungarian humor with my favorite signs from Budapest:
