Citadel

The 220m long, 45-60m wide Citadel was erected on the top of Gellért Hill by the Habsburg forces, following the suppression of the 1848-9 uprising. Already obsolete when it was erected between 1850 and 1854, its main function was to intimidate the citizenry of Budapest.

Exhibitions, covering a number of different themes, can be seen within the inner courtyard and outside the walls of the Citadel. Since the 1960’s, the Citadel has served as a tourist attraction, which, besides the exhibitions, also boasts a hotel and several restaurants.

The most magnificent views of the capital can probably be had from the walls of the Citadel.

The Liberation Monument at the foot of the Citadel, the central figure of which is a woman holding a palm-leaf aloft, was erected in 1947 to commemorate the liberation of the capital by the Russian forces. Originally, a statue to honour István Horthy, the Regent’s son who had died on the Russian front, had been commissioned for this site.

Attraction: The Citadel (Citadella)

Country: Hungary

City: Budapest

Location: Buda, I. district

Transport: Tram 47 or 49

Address: Budapest, Gellért-hegy, Citadella sétány