Page 179 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest

three guided w alks  177

south east of the
Water Tower are
the ruins of a
13th-century
Dominican Church
and Convent 6.
Árpád híd
The latter was once
home to Princess
w Margit, after whom
the island is named.
King Béla IV (see p25)
D a n u b e succeeded in
swore that if he
q repelling the Mongol
0 invasion of 1241 that
he would offer his q Stepped pathway through the lush foliage of the Japanese Garden
9 daughter to God. He
kept his oath, building built by members of the and streams crossed by rustic
the church and convent, Premonstratensian Order, this is bridges all add to the garden’s
to which the 9-year-old the oldest building on the island. atmosphere. The final stopping
Princess Margit was sent In addition, the foundations of point on the walk is an unusual
in 1251. She led a godly an 11th-century chapel have musical well, known as the
8 and ascetic life and died been excavated inside the 12th Bodor Well w. The original well
here at the age of 29. Nearly century church. Destroyed by was designed and constructed
5 7 300 years later, in 1541, the the invading Turks in 1541, the by Transylvanian Péter Bodor in
nuns of the convent fled church was eventually reconstru- 1820 and stood in the town of
6 to Pozsony (now Bratislava, cted in the 1930s, using materials Marosvásárhely (modern-day
4 capital of the Slovak Republic) from the original building. In the Tirgu Mures, in Romania), which
in the face of the Turkish bell tower hangs a bell which, was then part of the Austro-
invasion, (see pp28–9), leaving unusually, survived the Turkish Hungarian Empire. In 1936 this
the church and the convent invasion. Probably buried by copy was built on Margaret
to be destroyed. Severe floods the monks at the time of the Island. Continuing past the well,
in 1838 led to the discovery invasion, the bell dates from at the northern tip of Margaret
HAJÓS ALFRÉD SÉTÁNY 3 its underground vaults. when its walnut-tree hiding another link from the island
Island the Árpád Bridge provides
the early 15th cen tury.
of the ruined church and
It was discovered in 1914
The tomb of the now-
back to the city.
canonized Margit was
place was uprooted dur-
also excavated here
ing a violent storm.
20 years later. Just
to the north of the Grand Hotel
Dominican Church Margitsziget
and Convent, near to Árpád Bridge
to the Water Tower, The Grand Hotel
is the beginning of Margitsziget 9 was
Artists’ Avenue 7. designed in 1872 by
A collection of 7 Bust of Zsigmond Miklós Ybl (see p123).
contemporary busts Móricz on Artists’ Avenue For many years it was
2 of Hungarian writers, the most fashion able
painters and musicians lines hotel in Budapest, known simply w The musical Bodor Well
this promenade leading up to as “The Grand”. After World War
the Grand Hotel Margitsziget. II, the hotel was modernized Tips for Walkers
A little way before the hotel is and called the Danubius Grand,
St Michael’s Church 8. Originally and in the 1970s the luxurious Starting point: Southern end
Danubius Health Spa Resort of Margaret Island, reached from
Margitsziget 0 was built nearby. Margaret Bridge (híd.
D a n u b e Walk route an underground walkway and Length: 3.3 km (2 miles).
1 Key The two hotels are joined by Getting there: Bus 26. Tram 4, 6.
Stops: There are numerous take-
D a n u b e
offer thermal baths and a variety away kiosks and cafés on the
of spa treatments (see p54).
Heading west from the latter island, selling drinks, snacks and
ice creams. The Danubius Grand
hotel, the final stretch of the
0 metres 500 Hotel and Danubius Health Spa
walk passes beside the Japanese Resort Margitsziget 0 also have
0 yards 500 Garden q. A variety of exotic
Margit híd plants, a rock garden, waterfalls restaurants and cafés.
Margit híd
250 metres / 300 yards
For keys to symbols see back flap
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