Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya)
Budapest

The Neo-Romanesque Fishermen's Bastion was built at the turn of the century as part of the reconstruction of the Matthias Church and its surroundings, in the Castle District, not far from the Royal Palace. Tradition has it that this stretch of the medieval ramparts used to be defended by the fishermen's guild, though the name might also derive from a nearby former fish market.

The seven towers represent the seven Magyar (Hungarian) tribes. Each of the chiefs has his own statue, and the steps leading down to the city are dotted with figures, such as St. George and the Dragon.

The function of the present bastion was both decorative and to serve as a look-out terrace over the Danube. The view from here is magnificent - Margaret Island, Margaret Bridge and the Parliament are to the left, the Chain Bridge, the riverside hotels, Elizabeth Bridge and Gellért Hill to the right. In 1988 the entire panorama of the Danube embankment in central Budapest was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.