What to See in Budapest: Top Unusual Places for Unique Photos

Budapest is one of the best places for travelers looking to add some adventure to their vacation. Whether you’re into climbing, walking, or want a break from all that sightseeing, there’s something here for everyone. Pécs is the gateway to Hungary’s Southern regions’ many castles, fortresses, and museums. It is also a place of many legends, including one of the most tragic in Hungarian history — that of Countess Elizabeth Bathory.

Here are the top six unusual places in Budapest for some unique photos:

1. The Ruined Church

This one is a little bit away from the city center, but it’s not hard to reach by public transportation. The church was built in the 11th century and called “The Cathedral of Óbuda”.

In 1989 this peaceful place was the site of a political protest. A group calling themselves “Új Margitsziget” (New Margaret Island) moved their demonstration to the church’s steps and then onto the roof covered by solar panels. The demonstrators demanded democratic and free elections in Hungary. This resulted in a huge conflict with the police. Riot police surrounded the church and the roof was about to be bombed, but it got stopped in the end. The roof was repaired and covered with panels again, this time with a few green solar panels.

2. The Steel Bridge

It’s located in the far-east of Budapest, linking the districts of Óbuda and Rómaifalu. It was constructed between 1937-1943 and uses many materials: iron rods, steel bars, thermal steel cables, concrete panels (double laminates), and so on. Its length is 142 meters. It is one of Budapest’s most beautiful bridges and one of its most dangerous ones. Because of its age, the bridge is very narrow, and it’s a good idea to use a tripod when trying to take a photo.

3. The new Cholesterolus Center

A very unusual building for Hungary, but not for the rest of Europe. It’s designed by an Italian architect and located in the center of Budapest, on József körút Street. It has 20 floors, an area of 30,000m2 and 100m in height. In 2012 the building topped out, and now it’s almost entirely occupied by offices and administrative services for companies like Siemens, Microsoft, or IBM. It is the most expensive building in Hungary (construction cost was almost 400 million dollars). Its unique feature is that it’s fully transparent from top to bottom.

4. The Háries Zoo

Located in Budapest in the Újpest borough, this zoo has a very exotic look and feel with its dark and somewhat scary-looking animals. In addition, there are many unusual animals here, like lions or foxes, which you would normally find only in African safari parks. For example, the lion on the right was born in Budapest Zoo, but he escaped a few times and lived wild for years until his spot was finally found.

5. The Memento Park

This park is located in an area that used to be the city’s main Stalinist cemetery, where thousands of people were buried during the Soviet occupation. It was closed in 1991, and since then, it has been abandoned and left to ruin until the mayor decided to open a memorial park instead. The remains of 100 Soviet tanks, armored cars, and fighter-bombers are on display here, with many statues and busts of Lenin, Marx, and other communist symbols.

The best way to get here is by car (you can also take a taxi or ride a bicycle). There’re no public transportation connections here but frequent bus connections from Nyugati tér. You can also see this memorial by walking from Nagymező street.

6. The Tipsy House

This unusual building is a house with a glass facade built around 2000. The house was made by an architect who wanted to build his own home. He later sold the house, retaining ownership of the facade, which he then rented as an advertising billboard. It’s located on the corner of József körút and Dohány utca in downtown Budapest.

Conclusion

Budapest is a great place for photography as well as for other activities. It’s not a big city so there is plenty of space for various adventures. You can even see the ruins from the old city walls, which you can make your landmark in case you need something to orient yourself (or want to see them in person). The good thing about Budapest is its many green spaces, like parks and forest areas where you can take photos and enjoy nature. And since the number of tourists is still low here, it’s still possible to have intimate moments with nature or people if you don’t want to be noticed.