Citadel on the Gellért-Hill

The Gellért-Hill is located between the 1st and the 11th district.

You can reach the top in two ways. It is possible to walk up on the assigned pathways or even with a bus number 27.  The bus's departure place is on the Móricz Zsigmond roundabout.  With this bus you should go until the so called Búsuló Juhász stop and from here you have to walk a few minutes to reach the top.

If you choose to walk up, then under way you can admire the 7 meter tall Gellért-statue made by Jankovits Gyula.  The bronze made sculpture represents bishop Gellért who holds a cross in his right hand headed to the sky, while his left hand is laying on his heart. On his feet  the convert gallant can be found.

After the Gellért-statue it's about 15-20 minutes to walk and you will arrive to the final destination.
The Gellért Hill is about 235 meters high. Formerly it was called Kelen-hill, and it had buildings lived by the Celts and the Romans. The archeological findings say that they built the fortress on the mountain. This period was before the Hungarian conquest. Some legends say that after the Hungarian conquer in 1046, Gellért the Bishop was about to cross the river, but he was attacked by pagan rebels led by Vata and they pushed him from the Kelen Hill in a barrel. From the 19th century, this is why the mountain is called Gellért-Hill.

In the 19th century, here on this mountain a Hungarian observatory was built. It's name was Csillagda. In the 1849 revolution the observatory suffered serious damage .

After the revolution they rebuilt the fortress to terrify the enemy and the observatory became demolish.
The citadell as a word has an Italian origin which means acropolis. The fortress was finished in 1859 and this is a 220 meter long and 40-60 high building. It's walls are 4 meter thick. This is a very massive and terrifying building. People who lived in Budapest hated this fortress and they wanted to see it unbuild. That time there was not enough money to demolish the building so it stayed.

After the second world war in 1947 people dedicated the liberation monument made by 
Kisfaludi Strobl Zsigmond. The monument is a central figure which symbolizes the freedom. The woman holds a palm tree branch about her head. On her left side a bronze torch monument can be found  while on her other side there is a dragon killer extra figure.

On the pedestal the next script can be read : "In memory for all those who sacrificed their lives  for the independece, liberty and prosperity of Hungary."

It is really worth to go up to the Citadell in all season and weather as the panoramic view is stunning. You can see the Danube river and you can see the buildings of Pest side.

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