Budapest downtown

The Continent’s First Underground Railway

When Budapest’s first underground railway opened for service in 1896 it was the first of its kind on the Continent, and only the second after London. It conveyed passengers just below street level from the City Centre to the City Park in around ten minutes. The twenty-foot wide tunnel is supported by riveted iron pillars, and the restored stations with their wooden ticket kiosks and ceramic tiled walls faithfully recall the atmosphere of a century ago. The first set of coaches lasted in service for eighty years, and an example of one is preserved in the Underground Museum. After Budapest’s second Underground line was built, a deep-tunnel construction called the Metró, the original one affectionately became known as the “Little Underground”.

The Most Beautiful Example of City Planning

The route of the original Little Underground follows that of Budapest’s most elegant boulevard. Andrássy út represents the pinnacle of Budapest’s late nineteenth century city planning. It is also home to many of Pest’s theatres, including the imposing Opera House, with its columns, statues and terraces, as well as the Operetta Theatre and numerous others on neighbouring side streets. Just before the Oktogon is Liszt Ferenc Square, a place that has in a short time become one of the capital’s favourite pleasure grounds – filled with coffee houses, international restaurants, club restaurants, musical bars and jazz clubs. In summer it seems that half the city is here relaxing and enjoying itself at the outdoor tables.

Two opposite sides of Heroes’ Square are taken up with fine neo-classical buildings. The Palace of Arts (Mûcsarnok) is Hungary’s largest fine arts exhibition space, and displays the works of contemporary Hungarian and international artists and designers. A separate room accommodating 80 people shows three-dimensional films about treasures of Hungarian natural and architectural history.

The Museum of Fine Arts (Szépmûvészeti Múzeum), opposite, is Hungary’s principal fine arts gallery, containing much to attract those interested in European and also ancient art.