Budapest is the European capital divided by the River Danube into Buda and Pest.
The Danube runs through the center of Hungary’s capital. Buda occupies the hilly western bank, while Pest lies on the flatter eastern bank. Their contrasting landscapes help explain the city’s distinctive geography, with Buda Castle and the Castle District rising above the river.
Buda and Pest were separate cities for centuries before they were formally united with Óbuda in 1873. This fact is distinct from the city’s later development: the union created modern Budapest, while the Danube continued to shape its neighborhoods, bridges, and transport routes.
The Chain Bridge is one of the best-known crossings between the two sides. Budapest is also famous for its thermal baths, many of which draw on the region’s naturally warm mineral waters.