The European capital home to Buda Castle, the historic palace complex overlooking the Danube, is Budapest.
Buda Castle stands on Castle Hill on the western, Buda side of Budapest. The site developed into a royal residence during the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, although successive wars, reconstructions and political changes have altered the buildings substantially. The present palace complex largely reflects Baroque rebuilding carried out under Habsburg rule in the 18th century.
Today, the complex includes the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. Castle Hill also contains Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion, but these are separate landmarks rather than parts of the palace itself. The castle district forms part of the Budapest World Heritage Site recognized for its historic urban landscape along the Danube.
Buda Castle is sometimes confused with the broader Buda Castle District. The district includes the palace, churches, streets and other historic buildings, while the castle specifically refers to the former royal palace complex. Budapest became the unified capital of Buda, Pest and Óbuda in 1873.