The Danube Bend

Although you will not find the region named as such on a map, the Danube Bend is so named because it is forced to change its direction about 25 miles north of Budapest. It bends into an S-shape between the Borzsony and Pilis mountain ranges. This stretch of river valley, as part of the Danube-Ipoly National Park, is the most beautiful in Hungary. Roman settlements were once located here, as well as the residences of the first Hungarian kings. The current towns which line either side of the river valley preserve relics of Hungarian medieval culture.

The first town of the Danube Bend is Esztergom, the “western gate” of the region. The first Hungarian king, Saint Stephen, was born in this city in the 10th century, and the city became the capital of Hungary for over 250 years. St. Stephen was crowned here at Christmas in the year 1000, which is the date of the founding of the Hungarian state. The city has since been the capital of Hungarian Catholicism. The largest cathedral in Hungary, the Esztergom Basilica, crowns the hill of this baroque city.

Halfway up the hill towards the Basilica is the ruins of the royal palace, which was rebuilt several times in different ages. It used to be regarded as one of Europe’s most beautiful castles. Looking down from the terrace of the palace, you have an excellent view of the busy city and the river, as well as a view of five different mountain ranges.

We cycled up the steep hills of the city to visit the Basilica. Our guide book had said that it was not very pretty, but I didn’t agree. Perhaps there was not enough ornamentation or gold for the author, but I think that even a simple church can be simply beautiful. Admittedly, it was not as encumbered by decoration as some cathedrals, but its beauty lay in its spaciousness, its geometry, its high domed ceiling, and its coloring, which was turquoise, gold, and maroon. We toured the stone walls encircling the church grounds and watched the last rays of sun filter over the cathedral and the city on the opposite bank of the river.

About nine miles farther along the river is the little town of Zebegeny, whose well-kept houses preserve the German and Slovak traditions. The lights and decorations in the windows reminded us that Christmas was coming. Just afterwards is the town of Domos, where the Danube bends, and after forming a horseshoe-shape, flows towards Visegrad. The region becomes more mountainous.

You reach the town of Visegrad, situated at the inner range of the Pilis mountains, after another ½ hour by bike. The Romans had built an early fort here, and the Hungarian kings built an entire fortress system here from the 13th century, taking 200 years to connect the Lower with the Upper Castle by high stone walls. The city was the site of one of the most radiant courts of Europe during the 15th century, which is hard to imagine today, since only the ruins of the fortress remain. Rising over 1000 ft. above the Danube, the fortress offers an excellent view of the river valley. It apparently appealed to Freddy Mercury of Queen, who tried to buy it. Another attraction of the town is the hot water spa and basins which are built on the hillside. We spent a night in Visegrad and toured the fortress area.

The last stop along the Danube Bend is Szentendre, the “southern gate,” which we passed shortly before arriving in Budapest. It is a pretty town situated upon a hillside, with baroque townhouses built by rich merchants, several baroque palaces, and hillsides dotted with Serbian Orthodox churches. The town itself was founded in 1690 by 800 Serbian families fleeing the Turks. It has remained the Serbian cultural and religious center of Hungary. At the beginning of the 20th century, Szentendre became the favored place for painters, sculptors, and artists, who still live there today. In fact, there is hardly any other town in the world similar to Szentendre, in that there is one gallery or museum per 1000 inhabitants. After reaching the top of the city, we looked back at a picturesque panorama of the mountains, river, and hillsides dotted with churches and rooftops behind us.