This morning we took a walking tour of Budapest. This is our friends’ first time here, but we have not done a walking tour here before. 

One of the many Christmas markets.

Advent Basilika Market in front of St. Stephens Basilica.

St. Stephens Basilica.

We saw another stumbling stone. This gentleman was shot in a death march in Köseg, Hungary.

The Memorial for Victims of the German Occupation. This is a controversial memorial as it is considered to make it look like Hungary had no role in the Nazi Occupation and death of Jewish citizens.

This is the Hungarian Parliament. Most pictures of it are from the Danube River side, but this is the opposite side. It is an impressive building.

Near Parliament is the Shoes on the Danube Bank which is a memorial to the victims of the Arrow Cross who were murdered during the winter of 1944-45. They were brought to the riverbank, their valuable shoes would be removed, they would be tied together in small groups and their hands tied, the largest person of the group would be shot, and they would be pushed into the river to drown. 

We also went to the House of Terror museum. This was excellent. It covers the communist and fascist regimes of the 20th century. No pictures allowed, though.

We spent the later afternoon and evening at Christmas Markets.

We returned to the Advent Basilika. 

There was a local group singing Christmas carols. They had handouts for others to join in, if you could read Hungarian. It was fun.

The inside of St. Stephens Basilica.

Ceiling of St. Stephens Basilica.

Advent Basilica at night.

Closer to the main market.

View of the Danube at night with the castle lit up on the left and the parliament on the right. Seeing the city from the river at night is always a must-do.