Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a charming city, the product of the union of two cities, one called Buda and Óbuda and the other Pest, both on the banks of the Danube River.
Of Celtic origin, capital of a Roman colony later, devastated by Mongols, dominated by the Ottomans and much more history, the truth is that this hectic life has left it mysteries and treasures, so today let's learn about the Secret places in Budapest that you must visit.
Budapest
Without a doubt It is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and its historic center is home to numerous World Heritage Sites. Many tourists come here every year because history blends with spa tourism, medieval culture, and World War II-related activities.
Just 525 square kilometers in central Hungary, crossed by the Danube River, which is dotted here with several islands, Budapest displays all its beauty and treasures. For example:
Flipper Museum
If you like weird museums, or are traveling with someone who is a fan of them, flippers or pinballs, well this is a good place to visit.
It operates in the basement of a downtown building, and although it's small, it has its own exotic appeal. It's literally full of Classic slot machines, all working and free: more than 160 gamesOne of the museum's gems is the Mesovonat machine, the only Hungarian-made machine whose designer has yet to be found.
You can find the Flipper Museum on Radnóti Miklós Street. The daily ticket gives you access to the museum. unlimited access to all machines. There is no need to book a visit and there are usually interesting exhibits.
Szabo Ervin Library
Although libraries are no longer what they used to be, and young people barely know the word, there was once a time when libraries were a dream place. And the ones that remain continue to be so.
This library is a hidden treasure, a secret place that It operates within an old aristocratic mansion. The house was built by Count Frigyes Wenckheim during the second half of the 19th century.
In 1931 the mansion passed into the hands of the state and became a library, Main Library. Thus, the library came to obscure the elegant Wenckheim Palace and its own library. What a beauty!
All the palace's interior rooms have been converted into reading rooms, and a stroll through them is an invitation to the past. Dark wood, high ceilings, windows, corridors, and staircases. Navigating the modern part of the building can be somewhat confusing, but once you're familiar with it, it's worth locating the old rooms and sitting down to enjoy them.
The Szabo Ervin Library is at 1 Szabó Ervin tér.
Semmelweis Medical Museum
If you don't like the more classic museums or are tired of arts and history, what do you think of this one? museum of medicineIf you go with children, it will be unforgettable.
Dr. Semmelweis was a 19th-century physician. who worked in the maternity ward of a clinic. He soon noticed that women in labor were falling ill with something then called "delivery bed sickness," which is now known as puerperal fever, postpartum infection that at that time claimed the lives of 30% of women per month.
The doctor watched this situation with concern. He thought nothing was known about bacteria and infections. But the doctor was so observant that, upon seeing a colleague die after performing an autopsy simply because he had cut himself while performing the dissection, he decided that going from the morgue to the delivery room directly wasn't the best idea.
Still not knowing about bacteria, but suspecting that there must be something there, invisible to the eye, introduced a strict hygiene protocol which included hand sanitizer for doctors, nurses, and surgical supplies. That 30% began to collapse.
The doctor reported his findings to the Vienna Medical Association, but Pasteur only later confirmed his suspicions about germs. But at the time, no one paid much attention, and ironically, he himself died of an infection.
Returning to the museum, the truth is that it is a ideal secret place to visit. Inside you will see antique medical wax models that only exist in a few other cities in the world, such as Vienna, Florence or Cagliari: An anatomical Venus made by Clemente Susini, an old X-ray machine and even a curious reduced human head.
The Semmelweis Medical Museum is at 13 Apród u. Castle Hill.
Vajdahunyad Castle
Amidst so many unusual museums, let's go back to the classic: a castle. This one in particular serves as a way to learn about the different architectural styles that Hungary and the city have had.
It was designed by the architect Ignác Alpár at the end of the 19th century, fair to commemorate the thousand years since the first settlement of the Magyars in these lands. At first the idea was that it would be a temporary castle and for that very reason It was built from wood and cardboard.
But… Vajdahunyad Castle was a success and was permanently rebuilt, out of stone, in 1904. It has four sections, one for each architectural style: Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and Renaissance.
In turn, each of these sections is further divided, so that it has a total of 21 small buildings linked together, each built as a replica of important structures found in Hungary and Romania.
This charming castle is located on an artificial island in the middle of the city, very close to the national monument. A beauty.
Budapest Caves
Did you know that Budapest has below one of the largest cave networks in the worldAt least as far as caves under cities are concerned.
You can visit them, but for that you have to book a tour. You change into suits and helmet, you are separated into two groups and you begin the walk hand in hand with lanterns. They are not super-prepared caves where you will see lights everywhere, nothing to do with it.
The Budapest caves are not spacious, so you have to squeeze in a bit at times. The tour lasts about three hours, with ups and downs, some of them very difficult. Even the exit, through a hole, isn't very wide, but it's a secret place you must visit in Budapest.
Of course, Budapest has many more secret places or treasures, and every traveler will surely have discovered or will discover their own.