Discover Hungary’s Hidden Gems: Beyond The Tourist Trail
Rubik’s Cube
One of the most famous Hungarikums, the Rubik’s Cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture, Ernő Rubik. Since then, the Cube had conquered the world.
The cube is a puzzle game and it was originally named the Magic Cube. It is a cube shaped 3D puzzle coloured by stickers on each side. The game has one simple goal: turn the elements of the cube, so each face would have only one colour. Since 2009, Rubik’s cube is the world’s top selling puzzle game, with 350 million items sold. Through the years, the game has grown to become a sport. There are tournaments being organised all around the world for “speedcubers”, the World
Cube Association organises annual world championships and keeps the official world records for the fastest cube solvers.
Vajdahunyad Castle and the Museum of Agriculture
Thesmall castle located at the City Park has not been functioning as an aristocratic residence. It was built for the millennium celebrations for the country’s 1000th “birthday” originally to commemorate the millennialhistory of Hungarian
Originally made out of wood and cardboard, the 21 part historicalbuilding complex has deemed to be such a success that it was rebuilt by durable materials from 1904 to 1908. It was made as a replica of the 14thcentury Castle of Vajdahunyad in Transylvania and is made of 3 parts built in 3 different architectural styles. The 3 styles represent the country’s important ages and times of history with them being: Roman, Gothic and Renaissance-Baroque. The castle is neighboured by the City Park Lake that offers activities for every season. At summer it is open for romantic rowing trips and in the colder months it becomes the city’s largest open ice rink. The Vajdahunyad Castle holds regular traditional festivals and the building houses the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture, the largest agricultural museum in Europe.
Ethnographic Museum – Palace of Justice
The museum was founded as the ethnographic department of the Hungarian National Museum in 1872 and has grown to become its own institution in 1947.
The museum has only taken its location behind the House of Parliament in 1973. The building, formerly called “Palace of Justice” was built for the 1896 millennium celebrations in an eclectic architectural style by Alajos Hauszmann. It was served as the high court of Hungary until 1949. Full of amazing architectural feats and stunning artworks, the palace is a proud representative of the 19th-century Hungarian culture. Above the tympanum on its facade, towers the massive statue of the goddess of justice reminding its visitors of the former role of the building. Upon entering its guests find themselves standing in its massive lobby surrounded by pillars and massive flight of marble steps. Above the hall is a majestic fresco by Károly Lotz, called the Triumph of Justitia further emphasizing the former judiciary role of the building. The Ethnographic Museum was one of the first of its kind in Europe and it plays an important role in the country’s preservation of traditions. The museum does not strictly focus on the local culture, the themes of its temporary exhibitions included cultures from all over the world. Currently, the museum is closed and waiting to be relocated to the City Park by 2020.
Műpa Budapest – Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art
Formerly known as the Palace of Arts, the building is one of the several 21st century additions to the iconic Danube panorama of Budapest.
It was opened in 2005 near the Rákóczi Bridge and was designed by Zoboki, Demeter and Partners, a local architectural company. Its main profile is combining three branches of art forms: music, visual arts and theatre giving a home to the highest quality representations of each. The building is divided into three sections each housing a different art branch. The main, middle section belongs to the Bartók Béla National Concert Hall that organizes performances from large symphony orchestras to Jazz and Blues performers providing a broad perspective into Hungarian and international music culture. One side of the complex belongs to the Budapest Festival Theatre and on the opposite end, the Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art. The museum features the largest contemporary art exhibition in the city with several permanent and temporary exhibits providing a broad perspective of the present and future of Hungarian fine arts. The massive building poses an impressive sight from the Danube at night with its colourful illuminations and it is usually the last structure to see from the sightseeing boats before they turn back towards the city centre.
