Gellért Hill, Budapest Overview

The Gellért hill is a high cliff top overlooking Budapest city and all the main attractions. Some attractions visible from here are Stephens Basilica, the Parliament, Chain Bridge, the Castle, Matthias hall, Big Market Hall, etc. The hill is located exactly to the south of castle hill.

The Gellért hill is about 140 metres high (460ft approx) and stands tall on the Danube river. It is made up of dolomite rock. Walking on the hill, be it day or night, is always a spectator’s delight. There are many things to see and do in and around Gellért like one could eat at one of the restaurants overlooking the city, see the citadel and liberty statue, photograph the spectacular view, watch the sunset etc. Today it is just a tourist spot with residential homes and embassies. The Gellért hall has now been titled as a world heritage site by UNESCO as a part of “the banks of Danube”. It is also a reservoir for part of drinking water supply of the city. On the Hungarian national holiday of 20th august, fireworks are done from this hill to celebrate the St. Stephen’s Day and those days are known to be the peak season for Budapest tourism.

HISTORY

The hill was named after a bishop named Gellért Sagredo, who was known to be working towards the aim of spreading Christianity. He was hired by the King St. Stephen, first Christian king of Hungary, to convert people into Christians. The bishop was thrown off from the cliff after the death of King St. Stephen. He was locked in a barrel and rolled down due to a fight for Christianity against the Pagans in 1046. At the top of the hill there was a citadel, now a tourist spot, which was built after the Hungary’s war of Independence. It is said that this fortress (citadel) was built by the Habsburgs. Gellért’s statue today stands tall in the city of Budapest near the white bridge.

The Gellért hill was a primary planning and strategy spot for military base camps during the Second World War and the revolution of 1956. In the 18th century a Calvary was built at the peak of the hill. Earlier the hill was covered with vineyards and was the hub for winemaking in Budapest.

THINGS TO SEE AROUND

CITADEL
This fortress which is now a mere tourist attraction, was once a military checkpoint, prison, anti-aircraft missile launch pad, etc. It was built by the Habsburgs of Austria around 1850. The fortress stood 200 m long and 6 m high with thickness of 3 m. When the Austrians left the Hungarians destroyed some part of the fort as a mark of victory, but that had to be rebuilt so the soldiers could stay in the fortress.

LIBERTY MONUMENT
This structure was originally built in honour of the soviet soldiers who saved the Hungarians from the Nazi torture. The statue was created by Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl in 1947. The statue portrays a female of 14 metres in height holding a palm. The two statues beside her depict progress and evil.

CAVE CHURCH
This served as a hospital and chapel inside the hill during the Second World War and the main entrance to it was built in 1926. A numerous number of caves exist inside the hill presently. Gellért Hill Cave church continues to be a church and a popular tourist attraction today. It was shut in 1951 by the communists and again reopened in 1989.

HOTEL GELLÉRT AND GELLÉRT THERMAL BATH
Many think this exists on the Gellért hill whereas this actually is on the foot of the hill. There are three hot springs which provide water for spas. One of them is in the Gellért hotel. This spa was built in a Turkish fashion in 1918. It used to be once separate for women and men but that rule was demolished in 2013. There are Roman marble tiles and large lion heads sprinkling water. This 4 star hotel offers swimming pools, thermal pools, saunas and is worth a look. Many movies have been shot at Gellért Bath Spa like Bluebeard, I Spy, Evita etc.

TABAN
The northern slope of the Gellért hill is known as Taban and was once covered with yards of vineyards which supplied ingredients for winemaking. Later, around the 1930s, it became a nightlife hub with inns and pubs. During the winters the snow-covered slope becomes a place for sledging and ice skating and when the summers arrive it’s again an entertainment hub with rock shows and concerts.

WHERE TO STAY

Staying around the Gellért hill is recommended due to the liveliness it receives. The hilly flora makes the stay experience even better. The most reputed and costly accommodation is the Danunius Hotel Gellért, whose tariff starts around 73 Euros per night. Some of the other hotels which hold a good customer ranking are Kis Gellért Guesthouse, Gold hotel, Hotel Mediterran, Villa Hotel Crystal etc.

WHERE TO EAT

Food is the main highlight of the Gellért hill. Tourists may find many eateries on the way up to the top but one of the best restaurants is the Busulo Juhasz restaurant which offers a mind-blowing view of the city with lip smacking food. Its pumpkin soup and steak have been praised by many. Other famous restaurants include Citadella Panorama restaurant, Gellért Sorozo Brasserie etc.