Budapest is a beautiful city. Yes, we all know that. What else do we know? We also know that it is a very colorful city, especially after sunset. But that is not all there is to it, so I thought how would Budapest look if I were to take all colors out of it.
Beautiful promenade by the Chain Bridge leading up to the Parliament Building
Well, no surprises here. As it turns out, Budapest looks just as beautiful in monochromatic just as it does in color. These pictures I made on my recent (Sep 2015) trip to Budapest attempt to capture the Budapest beyond colors, which is equally grand and magnificent. It is no surprise that Budapest is the 25th most popular city in the world and the 6th in Europe, attracting over 4.4 million international tourists every year.
Cruises on the Danube near the Elisabeth Bridge Budapest
I believe that by taking out the colors of a night scene, it brings out the soul of the city – its structure and architecture. Removing the colors give more emphasis to what is essentially there in the photograph – the lines, shapes and textures. In black and white, our eyes can easily focus on the elements in the image and how they are held together instead of being enthralled by the yellow, orange and blue of a similar image taken in color.
The peaceful solitude of the Fisherman’s bastion on the Buda hill
The Hungarian Parliament seen from across the Danube
Black and white images can bring out the simple charm and soul-touching intensity of a city. Budapest is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, and is a big political, financial, tourist, historic and economic hub of East Europe – all rolled into one. It has the big monuments like the Chain Bridge over the Danube, the Parliament Building, the Buda Castle, St Stephen’s and Matthias Churches and one of the largest Synagogue in the world. Not to mention it has one of the oldest underground metro system running in the world, with the millennium line that started operations in 1896.
The Stairs climbing up the St Stephen’s Basilica
Budapest is the combination of the city names Buda and Pest which were merged into a single city in 1873. I loved Budapest due its stunning architecture, romantic setting with the various bridges over the Danube presenting beautiful sights, and its historic past. Due to its scenic setting and its architecture it is nicknamed “Paris of the East“. And did it mention the best part, it is dirt cheap when compared to other big and historical European cities like Paris, London and Amsterdam.
A ferry passing in front of the Hungarian Parliament