Buda Castle, Budapest: 7 Centuries of Empires and Occupations in Hungary

March 15^th is a national holiday in Hungary, the day commemorates the 1848-49 Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence. The holiday begins with a national flag raising ceremony in Heroes’ Square, festivities commence throughout the city, and the many national museums offer free admission.

For visitors, one of the most spectacular locations to be on March 15^th is in the Buda Castle District, across the Danube from the Parliament. Buda lies to the west of the river, and Pest to the east, and the two cities were unified into one in 1873.

The Buda Castle has a rich architectural history 760 years old, reflecting the rise and fall of several empires. It sits atop a hill with defensive walls surrounding the entire neighborhood, including the famous Matthias Church, originally built in 1015.

Medieval Origins of Buda Castle

King Bela IV, the King of Hungary and Croatia and Duke of Styria (Austria), ordered the construction of the castle after the Mongol invasion of 1241-42. The Mongols destroyed three-quarters of the city in one year and then abruptly left, presumably to find more abundant pastures for their horses. King Bela IV intended for the Gothic style Buda Castle to serve as a defensive fortress in order to prevent another devastating attack on Buda.

Zsigmond of Luxembourg, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of many places including Hungary from 1387-1437, began transforming the castle into one of the most beautiful Renaissance palaces in Europe.

Ottoman Rule

In 1541, the Ottoman Empire conquered Buda, damaging the castle and turning it into an Ottoman military fortress for almost 150 years. They destroyed the royal palace, built mosques, and discovered thermal springs underneath the city to create public bathhouses with. Buda was under Ottoman military occupation until 1686 when the Habsburgs claimed Buda during a brutal siege, expelled the Ottomans, and began rebuilding the city.

Habsburg Rule

The Austrian Habsburgs rebuilt Buda Castle in the 18^th century in the Baroque architectural style with elaborate designs and bold ornamentation. They made Buda Castle the political and cultural center of Hungary once again, housing the Hungarian royal court.

Then from 1848-49, the Hungarians fought the first Hungarian Revolution, desiring independence after centuries of occupation. Buda Castle suffered damage during that War of Independence, and the Hungarians ultimately lost the battle after the Austrians requested military support from the Russians; the Hungarians could not fight on two fronts. No peace treaties were signed but Hungarians had to surrender as the country fell to Austrian control.

Top left: Horse Procession in the inner courtyard of Buda Castle, March 15.
Bottom left: State of Prince Eugene of Savoy, defeater of the Turks, in front of the National Gallery.
Right: Water fountain of King Matthias in on the castle grounds.

Franz Joseph’s Rule

In the late 19^th century, Emperor Franz Joseph of the Austro-Hungarian Empire commissioned castle renovations to repair and modernize the fortress. Neo-Classical wings were added to the Baroque building, a popular attempt to bring Ancient Greek and Roman grandeur to Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

Hungarian Independence in the 20^th century

After centuries of being occupied by one empire or the other, Hungary finally received brief independence.

In between 1918 and 1920, there was a 3-day revolution in which Hungary seceded from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a 133-day First People’s Republic, a 133-day Hungarian Soviet Republic, and finally the creation of the Kingdom of Hungary. The Kingdom was led by the fascist Miklós Horthy, who joined forces with the Nazis during World War II.

The Nazis occupied the Royal Palace in the Buda Castle fortress, so the castle was bombed heavily during the Siege of Budapest from 1944-45. The Nazis bombed the bridges over the Danube connecting Buda to Pest, and the Allied bombing destroyed much of Budapest, leaving hardly any building undamaged.

Communist Revival

The castle was stripped of many royal elements during the Siege, such as the Royal Crown which was stolen by American troops, and a bronze statue of a dog from the fountain of King Matthias which is assumed to have been taken by the Soviets.

After WWII, Hungary fell to Soviet occupation, losing her independence. From 1945 to 1989, the communist occupation attempted to modernize what was left of Buda Castle and did not attempt to reconstruct most of the damage. The grandeur was discarded to align with communist ideology; the once ornate royal rooms were changed into a simple red and black interior which the Soviets favored.

In the 1956 Revolution against the Soviet occupation, Buda Castle took some damage from the guerilla warfare, but not nearly as much as during WWII.

Modern Revival

Since 1989, there have been efforts to restore the castle to its splendor, it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it houses a national gallery, museum, and library.

Currently, the castle is undergoing a restoration project called the National Hauszmann Program in order to restore the rich architectural heritage. The projects include the Archduke Joseph’s Palace, the Royal Riding Hall, the Castle Guards’ Barracks, the Stöckl Staircase, the Royal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defense Headquarters, the Fehérvári Rondella and Gardens, Saint Stephen’s Hall, and more.

Restoration projects follow centuries-old blueprints to rebuild as accurately as possible, keeping the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo-Classical elements.

Modern Restoration of Saint Stephen’s Hall in Buda Castle