The Fishermen’s Bastion is one of the most photographed spots in Budapest. From its white terraces and towers, there is a direct view across the Danube to the Hungarian Parliament, the centre of Pest and Margaret Island.

Most of the site can be visited free of charge at any time of the day or night. You only need to pay for entry to the upper terraces, and even these are not subject to a charge at all times.

• How much time to allow: 30 to 45 minutes
• Lower terraces and arcades: free
• Upper viewing terrace: 1 700 huf during paid access hours
• Best time to visit: before 9.00 am or after dark
• Nearest stop: Szentháromság tér

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What’s free and what do you have to pay for?

The lower terraces, arcades, staircases and the area around the statue of St Stephen are free. This is the spot from which you can take classic photos of the Parliament, and for most visitors, that’s all they need.

An admission fee is charged only for the upper viewing terrace and the towers:

Period	Charged hours	Admission
January–May	9.00–19.00	1 700 huf
June–September	9.00 am–9.00 pm	1 700 huf
October–23 December	9.00 am–7.00 pm	1 700 huf

Concessionary admission applies 850 huf and applies to children under 14, students with a valid student card and pensioners from European Union countries.

Outside the times listed, the upper terrace is also accessible free of charge. It is also free all day from 24 December to 1 January.

You can buy tickets on site or online via the official ticket office.

Is it worth paying for the upper terrace?

To be honest: for most visitors, no. The paid terrace is only a few metres higher, and the view isn’t dramatically different from the free section.

You’ll get a very good view of the Parliament, the Danube and the centre of Pest from the lower gallery alone.

It’s worth paying the entrance fee if you want to walk through the towers themselves, take photos without the lower terrace’s railings in the foreground, or if you’re visiting the bastion during the day and want to see the whole complex.

If you have a more flexible schedule, come before 9.00 am or in the evening. You’ll see the same upper terrace for free and avoid the biggest crowds.

When is the best time to visit for the best views and photos?

The best time is early in the morning. Sunrise occurs throughout the year before the paid visiting hours begin; the upper terraces are free to access and you’ll find only a fraction of the usual number of visitors there.

What’s more, in the morning the sun shines directly from the east onto the bastion and Matthias Church. It therefore offers the best light for photographs of the building itself.

Conversely, at sunset, you’ll have the sun at your back and a well-lit panorama of Pest. However, expect the largest crowds.

After dark, the Parliament Building, the bridges and the entire bastion are illuminated, and the upper terraces are once again freely accessible once the paid visiting hours have ended.

A fairytale building that isn’t medieval

The Fishermen’s Bastion looks like a medieval fortress, but in fact it was not built until 1895–1902. The architect Frigyes Schulek designed it as a Neo-Romanesque viewing promenade during the reconstruction of the neighbouring Matthias Church.

The present-day structure was never used to defend the city. However, it was built on the site of the older Buda ramparts.

The name probably refers to the fishermen’s guild, which was supposed to guard this section of the fortifications in the Middle Ages, or to a former fishing settlement below the castle hill.

The seven stone towers symbolise the seven Hungarian tribal leaders who led the Hungarians into the Carpathian Basin at the end of the 9th century. The equestrian statue between the bastion and the church depicts Saint Stephen, the first King of Hungary.

What to visit in the surrounding area

The Fishermen’s Bastion does not stand alone. Right next to it is Matthias Church, and you can continue on foot through the historic streets to Buda Castle.

Allow about 2 hours for the entire route from the Fishermen’s Bastion through the castle district to the Royal Palace, not including visits to the interiors. If you also go inside Matthias Church or any of the museums in the palace, allow at least half a day.

How to get to the Fishermen’s Bastion

The nearest stop, Szentháromság tér, is just a few steps from the bastion:

• bus 16 from Deák Ferenc tér in the centre of Pest
• buses 16A and 116 from the Széll Kálmán tér metro station

Standard tickets and travel passes for Budapest’s public transport are valid on all buses. You can find details in the section on Transport in Budapest.

From the Danube, you can walk up from the Batthyány tér metro station or take the Budavári Sikló funicular from the Chain Bridge. From the funicular’s upper station, it’s about a 10-minute walk through the castle district to the bastion.

Accommodation near the Fisherman’s Bastion

If you want to enjoy the bastion without the crowds early in the morning and after dark, staying right in the Castle District makes perfect sense. The best locations are:

• Hilton Budapest – situated right next to the Fisherman’s Bastion and offering rooms with views of the Danube and the Parliament
• Pest-Buda Design Hotel – an intimate boutique hotel about a 3-minute walk from the viewpoint
• Buda Castle Hotel Budapest – a quieter hotel in a historic building, about 200 metres from the bastion

The Castle District is beautiful, but very quiet in the evening and less convenient for visiting restaurants or enjoying the nightlife. We compare its advantages with other parts of the city in the article ‘Where to stay in Budapest’.

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