Margaret Island
Margaret Island ( Margit - sziget Hungarian ) is the most famous Danube Island in the Hungarian capital Budapest. It is located in the city center, between the two halves of the city of Buda and Pest, and is connected by the Margaret bridge in the south and the Árpád Bridge in the north with them. The island has a length of 2.5 km, an area of 0.965 km ², and is famous for its extensive parks with tourists as well as the Budapest population as a resort and popular. In addition to taxis, buses and so-called Bringóhintó, the rickshaw -like bicycles, vehicles are prohibited on the island.
History
Using the original name " Rabbit Island " (Hungarian: Nyulak szigete ) the history of the city island began. In case of a victory over the Tatars promised King Béla IV of Hungary, his daughter Margaret to send as a nun in the local Dominican convent, where the majority belonged. After the victory of Hungary, he kept his promise. In the monastery his daughter died at the age of 35 and was beatified in 1271. Through numerous legends about the king's daughter Margaret, the island finally gained its name.
Supposedly, the Turks have used before the end of the 18th century for their harem girls the island. End of the 18th century, the island fell to the Austrian Palatines, which could convert this place a resort and spa. The development of thermal springs in the second half of the 19th century emphasized the recreational purpose even stronger. With the completion of the scale with a kink Margaret Bridge in 1990, a compound of Small Island was (painter Island) in the southwest of the main island. As a result, the current dimensions emerged. The city acquired the area in 1908, but demanded to 1945 entry fees for entering, in order to preserve the exclusivity. Since then you can visit the island for free. Used particularly in the 1980s, young people from the GDR, the hitchhiking (by hitchhiking, . Engl hitchhiker ) traveled through the Eastern Bloc, the greenery of the island to stay illegal. This had financial reasons primarily, because the tent sites were hardly affordable for GDR citizens with limited exchange budget. In addition, here the GDR hitchhiker scene was among them. Towards the end of the 1980s tolerated the Budapest Police this phenomenon becoming less and referred the young people almost every night on the island. As an alternative, an area had been provided for free camping in an industrial area on the eastern outskirts.
Attractions
The most striking point in the south of the Margaret Island is the Zentenariumsdenkmal (Hungarian: Centenáriumi emlékmű ) by István Kiss, which commemorates the unification of the three cities of Buda, Pest and Óbuda to the new city of Budapest in 1873. In the middle of the island there are large parking areas that have been laid out in English style. To the east are the remains of a Franciscan monastery from the 13th century. North of the monastery ruins a central rose garden with over 2500 different species of roses is created. In whose vicinity a small animal park invites you to visit.
Further north lie the now restored " ruins " of the Dominican convent, where the king's daughter Margaret to have lived. During excavations in the 19th century here, the grave of the Hungarian king Stephen V was mixed with a precious crown found. Also at this point begins the promenade with numerous busts of important writers, artists and architects.
The 57 -meter-high protected as a World Heritage Site water tower rises on the western side of the island. Since its construction in 1911, he is to find the symbol of the island and below an outdoor stage.
Near the Dominican convent of St. Michaelis, chapel, part of the Premonstratensian monastery from the 12th century stands. In it is probably the oldest church bell in Hungary from the 15th century. The reconstruction of the chapel in the Romanesque style took place in 1931. Today it is used for religious services.
In the north of the island, the Grand Hotel, which was built by the architect Miklós Ybl in 1873 and was one of the best spa hotels located. Next to it is the Danubius Thermal Hotel Margit Sziget, which was built on the foundations of the former Margaret bath.
Shortly before the Árpád Bridge is the Japanese Garden in 1936 and the play fountain with Neptune, which is a meeting place for musicians. On the west bank of the Margaret Island Palatinus lido, a thermal pool with wave pool, water slides and leisure facilities is located.