Gellert Hill (Hungarian name - Gellert-hegy) is a hill (mountain) with a view of the Danube River, which has a height of 235 meters (771 ft).
Because of the relatively small height and the presence of symptoms and the other forms of relief, Gellert referred to as mountain and hill.
Currently, gellért hill is one of the points of tourist routes to Budapest. Within the hill are some of the important sights of the city.
Especially beautiful view of the mountain opens with the Pest embankment on the Eastern side of the Danube.
Is the gellért hill on the Buda side (Western side of the Danube river), between the Liberty bridge (Szabadsag hid) and the erzsébet bridge or Elisabeth (Erzsebet hid).
Photo of Liberty bridge
Photos of Elisabeth bridge
Most of the hill and the surrounding area, surrounding the top represent green zone - landscaped Park. And West sector is a sparsely populated residential area, consisting mainly of villas and rich houses.
In the South-Eastern slope of the mountain (near the baths and the 4-star Gellert) there are playgrounds, including a large rollercoaster, which is considered a hidden treasure of Budapest for families with young children. In Budapest with children (what to see, where to go)...
The surface of the hill is indented with numerous walking paths and trails leading to the top of the mountain. During the rise from many points of the hill offers beautiful panoramic views of Budapest, the twisting Danube river and the district of pest, and part of the historic Buda side.
Depending on which side is making the rise of the hill, South or North, the eyes will open panorama of Budapest at different angles.
During the foot of the climb you "accompany" with viewing platforms and benches to rest.
The southern ascent, from the Liberty bridge (a more scenic and interesting)
And the rise from the erzsébet bridge
The main tourist interest is the highest point of the hill, where is an observation deck that gives some of the city's best panoramic views of Budapest.
In addition to the observation decks on top of the hill are:
- statue of Liberty (Szabadság decent example), which is one of the symbols of Budapest, which is a large size female figure with hands raised, which is a palm branch.
The statue was installed in 1947, initially to commemorate the liberation of Hungary from Nazi forces of the Soviet army. After the fall of the socialist system and the revaluation of the Soviet liberation, the ensemble of the statue was slightly changed.
The statue itself has a height of 14 meters, which together with the pedestal is raised on a 40-meter height and clearly visible from the Budapest embankments. Next to the main statue, on either side, are two sculptures that together with the female silhouette, creating a single composition.
On the ground near the statue of Liberty is a small cafe-snack bar with tables under the open sky;
- the citadel (Citadella), founded in 1854 and is built on an ancient settlement - remains of the oppidum, which at that time was largely destroyed.
Feature of the citadel was that, unlike normal FORTS, it was built not to protect the city, and Vice versa: the role of the fortress was to intimidate the people of the pest and, if necessary, was the possibility of observing and shelling of pest and Buda. Stands of cannons overlooking the city testify to this, but fortunately, the gun was used exclusively for firing decorative shots.
Currently, the citadel is closed to the public and can only see its walls from the outside.
The walls of the fortress, with its Northern side, located the tents with Souvenirs and snacks. A running toilet. There is an observation deck.
Behind the fortress there is a place where tour buses arrive, you can Park your car.
Other attractions of mount Gellert
The Church of our lady of the Rock or the monastery of the Pauline (Magyarok Nagyasszonya-sziklatemplom), located at the foot of the hill from its southern side.
Rock Church consists of two parts: the top is an ancient cave known as the cave of St. Ivan (later the cave of Lourdes) and the lower artificial stone cavity, located inside the mountain, where the temperature in winter and in summer is 21°C.
The entrance to the Church paid 600 forints.
Statue of king St. Stephen, located on the ground in front of the rock Church. Work Pala Ke, 2001.
Near rock Church, across the street, in a historic building is curative baths and swimming pool gellért.
In the building of the thermal baths and Gellert is conveniently located in the eponymous 4-star Danubius hotel Gellert offers a restaurant, bar, private Parking, free Wi-Fi and Breakfast included in the room rate. Link to hotel gellért
Philosophical garden (Filozofusok Kertje), which is a small area where there is a sculptural group created by Hungarian sculpture Nandor Wagner. The garden was opened in 2001 and restored after damage in 2006 - 2010.
Sculptural composition "Buda meets pest", located close to garden of philosophy, in the North-Western slope of gellért hill.
The statue represents the image of Prince Buda and Princess pest, representing the two historical part of Budapest is Bud and pest, separated by the Danube river that were previously separate cities, and after the merger, including the third city, óbuda, Budapest was formed.
The sculptural composition made of bronze, where Buda and pest reach out your hands towards each other, separated by a chasm symbolically the waters of the Danube, the main and robes of the statues result in the city extending beyond the figures.
This sculpture is very symbolic and at the same time realistic, reflects the essence of the appearance of the capital of Hungary and one of the most beautiful cities in Europe - Budapest.
Statue of St. Gellert (Szent Gellert-decent example) from which flows down to the bottom of the waterfall located near the Elisabeth bridge.
The statue with the waterfall established in memory of St. Gellert / Gherardo Sagredo, the first Bishop of Hungary and educator the son of the first Hungarian king.
