Until its union with Buda and Pest in 1872, Óbuda was a somewhat sleepy little town, and in spite of considerable rebuilding and modernization it has still managed to retain something of its former atmosphere. This old settlement, where evidence of prehistoric culture has been discovered and where shortly after the birth of Christ the Romans founded their camp of Aquincum, was according to tradition the residence of the Hunnish king Attila in the 5th C.
Under the Árpáds the place experienced enormous prosperity. In the Middle Ages there was a palace of the Hungarian queens here; in the days of the Turkish occupation the little Danube town fell into complete decay, as a result of the increasing importance of the neighboring royal city of Buda. Not until the 17th C was life restored to the town by German-speaking settlers.
This 2nd C amphitheater at Aquincum, which could hold thousands of spectators, is thought to have possibly been used as a fortress in the 9th and 10th C.
In 1950 the remains of the Roman military camp belonging to the Roman town of Aquincum were discovered to the south of Flórian tér. As well as remains of buildings dating from the 2nd to the 4th C tools, various vessels and sarcophagi were also found. Also of interest are the remains of an under floor hot-air heating system.
In the 1950s and 1960s the ruins of a magnificent Roman villa (probably dating from the 3rd C AD) were excavated. The mosaics discovered here, which are among the finest ever found in Hungary, depict scenes from the Hercules myth and the Dionysus saga. The sarcophagi exhibited in the garden of the archaeological museum were probably made in the 3rd and 4th centuries.
Address: Villa of Hercules, Meggyfa utca 19-21, Óbuda, Pest 1035, Hungary
On the first level of the terraced hillside the swimming and lido pools, while on the upper level the paddling pool and the sun terrace are situated. The swimming pools are open in winter because of the tent roof.
Hours:
May 1 to September 15: 7am-7pm
September 16 to April 30: 6am-7pm; Sun:6am-12pm; Sat:6am-4pm
The remains of an Early Christian graveyard, laid out in the second half of the 4th C on a clover-leaf plan and known as "cella trichora", are very interesting from an historical point of view.
Flórián tér (Florian Square) is an important traffic junction. On its north side can be seen ruins of the baths of the Roman legion; the actual hot baths themselves are well-preserved. A small museum provides information about the baths and medicine in Roman times.
At the south edge of the square are the remains of the medieval Queens' Palace and the Reformed Church of Óbuda, which was built in the 18th C.
The oval building of the former silk-mill (1785) is now of importance as an historic industrial building. It commemorates textile production in Óbuda, which began as a result of a demand by Emperor Joseph II.
The former synagogue, which since the Second World War has been used as a cultural center, was built in the Classical style by A. Landherr between 1820 and 1825. Six pillars and a tympanum with the tablets of the law enhance the main façade.
Statutes, medals, drawings and copies of the artist's sculptures in squares and public buildings are featured along with the latest works by the famous Hungarian sculptor, Imre Varga.
Located in the group of industrial historic buildings, the textile museum features documents and objects of the Hungarian textile and garments industries. The history of textile production and the entire equipment of a home footwear producing manufacturer are exhibited.
Address: Textilmuseum, Lajos utca 136-138, Budapest, Pest 1036, Hungary
The Zsigmond Kun Collection is housed in a Neo-classic townhouse built in 1790 as a town-hall. The displays, personal collections of Kun, feature 18th and 19th C folk art; pottery and ceramics from Mezotúr; and Transylvanian furniture and textiles.
Óbuda Parish Church (Obudai plébania-templom) was built for the Zichys in 1744--9. It was designed by J. H. Jóger. The Rococo pulpit and the side-altars as well as the figures carved on the façade are the work of the Italian artist Carlo Bebo, whom the Zichys employed on several projects.
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