A widely-known monument and major symbol of Budapest, the Fishermen’s Bastion is to be found in the Castle District.
It was built in neo-Romanesque style between 1895-1902, based on the plans of Frigyes Schulek. It offers a magnificent view of the city, no wonder its walls are always “lined’ with visitors. It is a less-known fact that its peaked towers represent the seven chieftains of Hungary (they led the Magyars or Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin where soon Hungary was founded). Its name is a riddle no one can be sure of, but there are two likely explanations. According to one of these, the bastion was named after the trade of the people living below in the Víziváros or Halászváros (City on water or City of fishermen). The other explanation says it got its name from the Guild of Fishermen of Buda, since they defended the bastion in times of enemy attack.