Mount Gellert

Mount Gellert is a high hill on the right bank of the Danube and one of the landmarks of the Hungarian capital, the ancient city of Budapest. The mountain was named in memory of the Catholic saint and educator Gerard of Hungary (Gellert), who according to legend died on this place in 1046 at the hands of pagans.

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Video: Mount Gellert

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What to see

At the foot of the hill is Hungary’s most famous hotel, the Hotel Gellert, and near it there is a pier for river transportation, which both citizens and tourists love to use. In the square in front of the hotel is a healing water spring revered by the locals.

At the top of Gellert Mountain is a powerful Habsburg fortress, built in the mid-19th century. The massive gray walls occupy almost the entire top of the hill, and there are cafes and souvenir stands near them. Behind the citadel there is a great place for walking – a picturesque green park with a playground for children. And if you go down the slope towards the Buda Fortress, you can see the colonnade and the monument to Bishop Gellert.

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On Mount Gellert is the Statue of Liberty, which became a symbol of the country’s liberation from the Nazis. The monument, in the form of a figure of a woman holding a palm branch in her raised hands, rises to a height of 14 meters.

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From the top point of Mount Gellert (235 m) you can enjoy panoramic views of the streets and neighborhoods of the Hungarian capital, the valley of the wide river and the beautiful bridges over the Danube, which connect the two halves of the city. A good viewing platform is located on the cliff near the cross. From it you can see the Freedom Bridge perfectly, as well as the colorful roofs of the Central Market.

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History of Mount Gellert

In the Middle Ages, the hill on the right bank of the Danube carried several names. As was customary in Central Europe, it was given names in several languages at once. In Hungarian the mountain was called Kelen, in German Bloksberg, and in Slovak Petsch (or “hill”). Mount Gellert received its modern name in the 15th century, when the legend of St. Gerard spread among the Hungarians. According to legend, pagans rebelled against the bishop and the Christian faith, put him in a barrel filled with nails, and lowered it down the hill.

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At the foot of Mount Gellert is the Tabán area, which has long been considered a center of winemaking, so in the 18th century the slopes of the hill were used for vineyards. According to documents preserved from 1789, the vineyards covered 128 hectares and only a small part of the land of 7.62 hectares was given over to grazing. At the top stood a small Catholic chapel – calvaria, to which the faithful came. Especially crowded processions went to the hill on Easter days. People overcame the steep climb up Mount Gellert to celebrate the resurrection of Christ together.

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In the middle of the nineteenth century, several places in Europe were engulfed by major uprisings at once. Hungary was no exception. A revolution took place in that country in 1848-1849, but it was brutally suppressed. Then a military dictatorship reigned in the country. The ruling Habsburg dynasty did not want to repeat the rebellion, so a fortified citadel was built on Mount Gellert. From this place, both banks of the river could be shelled without hindrance, and 60 cannons were placed in the citadel for this purpose. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Soviet tanks from the fortress fired on Budapest when the storming of the government took place.

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Cave Church

If you start climbing uphill from the Gellert Hotel, you can see a cave church and a monument to the first Hungarian king, St. Istvan, on the slope. It depicts the ruler beside a horse. His gaze is turned towards the church, and in his hands Istvan is holding a miniature building.

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According to legend, a hermit monk named Ivan lived in the cave and treated people with thermal waters and healing mud. Then the Catholic Church made the hermit a saint, and the cave was named after him. In 1926, a church and a monastery of the Catholic order of Paulins were opened here, and during the war a German hospital worked inside. Then the church was closed, but in 1989 it was returned to the faithful.

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To get inside the cave church on Mount Gellert, you need to buy a ticket. The unusual church is divided into four halls. As in any Catholic church, there is an altar and a hall where parishioners can sit down. The church exhibits beautiful wood carvings and sells souvenirs.

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How to get there

There are several ways to climb Mount Gellért. From the Szent Gellért tér metro station, one climbs to the top via steep staircases interspersed with pretty good vantage points. You can also arrive at Ferenciek tere metro station and walk from here to the Elizabeth Bridge. Then cross over to the right bank of the river and start climbing the hill.

Another option is to take a bus to the Búsuló Juhász (Citadella) stop and walk up the hill on a 0.4 km asphalt path. There are no steep stairs or viewpoints along the way. However, you can admire the panoramic views from the top.

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Many people choose the easiest and not physically demanding route – get to Mount Gellert by tourist bus or car. There is a paid parking lot, but it should be taken into account that during the peak tourist season it may be full.

Many people choose the easiest and most physically demanding route – get to Mount Gellert by bus or car.