Fisherman’s Bastion is right in front of the Mattias Church
Close to the Mattias Church, was Fisherman’s Bastion, completed in 1902. In fact, the Church is right behind the Bastion. To me it looked brand new. It was that clean. Fisherman’s Bastion is a stunning architectural icon of the city. Built in the neo-Gothic/neo-Romanesque it features breathtaking views of the city from its perch on Castle Hill. Fisherman’s Bastion includes seven towers to represent the seven Magyar tribes, celebrated at Heroes’ Square.
A statue of St. Stephen
This bastion does not look like much of a military structure, but it is more defensive than it appears at first sight. The ornate terraces were part of constructions made between 1895 and 1902 in celebration of the state’s 1000th anniversary. At the time the terraces were intended as observation points for looking out across the magnificent views, just as tourists do today. Clearly, it was built to impress rather than protect. Sort of like Donald Trump’s military parade he begged for and, of course, got. And modern tourists are usually impressed.
The neo-Romanesque structure, now called Fisherman’s Bastion, was designed with seven towers, each representing one of the seven Hungarian leaders who led their tribes to establish the country in 895. These were the so-called “heroes” of the Heroes Square.
There was an equestrian bronze statue of Saint Stephan, the first Hungarian king (1906) also takes pride of place on this historic monument. The bastion was designed to have a T shape that would incorporate the Church of Our Lady and connect the hilltop castle with the Fishtown (Watertown) settlement on the banks of the Danube. Visitors to the bastion climb a wide staircase which leads up to the Castle Hill entrance. Historic statues line the staircase.
The terrace has the feel and look of a fairy tale castle, the towers are topped with pointed turrets and the white walls seem to flow rather than being harsh as you would expect in a real military structure. Visitors to the bastion can also see the Church of Our Lady and St. Michael Chapel. The chapel is an underground medieval space which was discovered during the construction of the Fisherman’s Bastion.