ROUTE 157. VIENNA TO PESTH. (BY RAILWAY.) 1714 miles; 1st class, 10 fl. 98 kr.; 2d, 8 fl. 24 kr. ; 3d, 5 fl. 49 kr. Steamers leave Vienna for Pesth every morning during the summer months. The voyage occupies about thirteen hours, but the return voyage takes nearly twice that time. It would be advisable therefore for tourists who wish to vary the journey to go by steamer to Pesth, and return to Vienna by rail. Express fares by steamer are, for the 1st cabin, fl. 9.00; 2d cabin, fl. 6.00 (see over). From Vienna to GANZENDORF (18 miles), see Route 153. ASSING Marchegg (30 miles), we cross the Austrian frontier and enter Hungary at Neu dorf (33 miles), and reach PRESBURG (41 miles) (Hotel : Gruner Baum). It is situate on the left bank of the Danube. The site of the town is remarkably fine, being in the form of a semi-circle. The neighbouring hills are clothed with vineyards. It was long the principal city of Hungary, having been made the capital in 1541, when the Turks took possession of Buda; and even as late as the last quarter of the 18th century, it was the most beautiful and the most populous town in the kingdom. The edifices most deserving of notice are the Royal Palace, a building once of great magnifi cence, but accidentally destroyed by fire in 1811, and not since repaired; the Landhaus, or Hall of the Diet, in which the chambers of the kingdom meet; the Cathedral, a huge Gothic pile, in which the kings of Hungary were crowned; the Capuchin Franciscan, and Ursuline Monasteries, each with a handsome church attached; the bishop's palace, the theatre, &c. Presburg is a place of great antiquity, and had acquired some importance even before the country was subjugated by the Romans. In after times it became, as above-mentioned, the capital of Hungary, and retained the honour till the Emperor Joseph II. restored it to Buda. The peace by which Austria ceded Venice to France, and the Tyrol to Bavaria, was concluded here in 1805. Leaving Presburg, we proceed past several unimportant places to NEUHAUSEL (97 miles), situated on the Neutra. (Day train halts here 12 minutes for dinner.) GRAN-NANA (1242 miles) is situated on the Danube, on the opposite side of which is Gran, a steamboat station. We continue along the left bank of the river to PESTH (171 miles) (Hotels: see "HOTEL LIST"). This is the most populous and important city of Hungary. It lies on the left bank of the Danube. Its low situation contrasts strongly with the antique, picturesque, and rock-built Buda, on the other side of the river. The two cities are connected by a fine suspension bridge, erected in 1849, the length of which is about 1,500 feet. Pesth is the seat of the chief judicial courts of Hungary. Its University is richly endowed; it is attended by upwards of 2,000 students, and attached to it are a museum, a botanic garden and a library. Other public buildings are the Neugebaude, an immense edifice now used as barracks and as an artillery depot; the parish church, a Gothic structure; the Synagogue; the National Museum, with a library of 125,000 volumes, and a gallery of about 200 pictures; the Theatre, capable of holding 3,000 persons; and the National Casino, which is open to strangers. In the new Academy is the celebrated ESTERHAZY GALLERY, formerly at Vienna, purchased by the Government for £130,000. It contains about 800 pictures. Open every day. It contains 10 works of Murillo. Near the city is the Rakos Mezo (field of Rákos), a plain where the Diet, the great national assembly of the Magyars, used to be held in the open air, and the deputies, attended by their vast retinue of vassals, sometimes swelled to the number of 100,000 men, who remained encamped in tents during the continuance of the sittings. The Rákos is now famous for its annual horse races. BUDA (called in German OFEN (oven), either on account of its hot springs, or because of the lime-kilns in the vicinity) has a highly picturesque appearance, being built round the Castle-hill in the form of an amphitheatre, in the midst of a district covered with vineyards. Crowning this hill is the Royal Palace, which contains in its chapel the royal insignia of Hungary, and has many fine apartments. Buda has various charitable and scientific institutions, and contains in all thirteen churches and a synagogue. There are here some celebrated hot sulphurous springs, used as baths successively by the Romans, the Turks, and those who came after them, down to the present day. It is a place of great antiquity, but its importance dates from 1240, when the fortress was erected. During the inroads of the Turks, it was regarded as the key of Christendom. It was captured by Solyman the Magnificent in 1526, but retaken the following year by Ferdinand I., King of Bohemia. In 1541, it was again taken by Solyman, who introduced into it a garrison of 12,000 janizaries; and it remained in the possession of the Turks until 1686, when it was captured by the Duke of Lorraine. FROM VIENNA TO PESTH, BUCHAREST, AND CONSTANTINOPLE. BY THE DANUBE. For the International express to Bucharest and Constantinople, see page 835. A steamer leaves Vienna every morning for Pesth, occupying thirteen hours. A small steamer starts from the Prater Quay at 6.30 A. M. and transfers the passengers to the large steamer near Lobau island, about half an hour later. The chief places on the route are as follows: right, Deutsch Altenberg, with a castle, and near by, on a hill, the fine Gothic church of St John. Right, Hainburg, a picturesque town with old walls, and an extensive ruin on a neighbouring height. The Austrian Government tobacco factory is here, occupying 1,100 hands. PRESBURG, the old palace of which, now in ruins, is a conspicuous object for a long distance (see page 603). Below Presburg, the banks are flat and uninteresting. Left, KOMORN, a strong fortress, which was for a long time successfully defended by the Hungarians in 1849. GRAN, on the right bank, is the residence of the Primate of Hungary. The Cathedral, built as an imitation of St Peter's, at Rome, is a conspicuous object. It was built in 1821. Near it is the Archiepiscopal Palace. Wissegrad, right, is surmounted by the ruins of a castle, which as early as the 11th century was inhabited by the Kings of Hungary. Waitzen, left, has a cathedral similar to that of Gran. At the upper end of the town is an extensive workhouse with a Gothic church. At Alt-Ofen, the steamers of the Danube Co. are built. Soon the heights of Buda (Ofen) with the Royal Palace, are seen, and soon after the steamer lands at the busy wharf of PESTH. (For description see page 603). The best; King of Servia). Leaving Belgrade and passing Moldova, the river enters a narrow defile, and we pass in the centre of the river the lofty pointed rock of Babakaj. On the right are the ruins of the fortress of Golubacz, which was a robber stronghold, and where at one time the Empress Helena was said to have been imprisoned; and on the left the castle of Laszlorar, which formerly commanded the pass. At Dreucora the RAPIDS of the Danube begin, and the scenery becomes grand and impressive. In the Defile of Kasan, the river, 200 feet in depth, is narrowed to 180 yards by immense precipitous rocks. On the right bank are still visible traces of the ancient Roman road constructed by Trajan in A.D. 103. Passing by the Kasan Whirlpool, which is caused by the eddying of the river round a rock in the middle of the stream, we pass on the left bank the great Veterani Cavern, in which in 1693 General Veterani with only 400 men repulsed a greatly superior Turkish force. Tradition has it that in this cavern took place the BELGRADE (Hotels: de Paris, famous encounter between St Leaving Pesth, the principal places passed before arriving at Belgrade are Kalocsa (left), which has a handsome cathedral. Lower down the windings of the river begin. Mochaxs (right), famous for the disastrous battle fought here in 1526 between the Hungarians and Turks. It was in consequence of this defeat that Hungary fell under the Turkish yoke. Peterwardein is a strong fortress with a garrison of 4000 men. Here Prince Eugene defeated the Turks in 1716. At Carlowitz (right) was signed the peace of 1699 by which Austria acquired a great portion of Hungry and Transylvania, nearly half of Turkey in Europe. Semlin (right) is the last Austrian town. Custom-house. On a hill called the Tigeunberg are the ruins of the castle of the Hungarian hero, John Hunyiades, who delivered Hungary from Turkish rule. He died here in 1456. George and the dragon. The cavern has a very spacious interior, but is almost inaccessible. At Dubora (left) the river reaches its narrowest point, 120 yards; and a little further on, opposite O Gradina, is an inscription cut in the perpendicular by Trajan, IMP. CESAR DIVI NEVAE F. NERVA TRANIUS AUG. GERM. PONT MAXIMAS, which was intended to commemorate the building of the road and Trajan's first Dacian campaign. At Alt Orsova is the terminus of the S. E. railway between Pesth, Temesvär, and Orsora. The Austrian customhouse is here for passengers ascending the river. About an hour below we come to the Iron Gates, the last gorge of the Danube, through which the water rushes with great swift ness. From here there is nothing of particular interest till we reach Rustchuk, the terminus of the steamer route. The river here is about 3 miles wide. From Rustchuk travellers to Constantinople take the railway, 140 miles, to Varna, whence steamers of the Austrian Lloyds run twice weekly. Time of passage about 15 hours. Travellers for BUCHAREST cross the river to Guirg, and proceed thence by rail in 1 hour. BUCHAREST (Hotels: Grand Hotel, Broft, Imperial, Hughes) is the capital of Roumania, with a population of 221,000. The town until lately was dirty and dark, but has recently been repaved and lighted. The public buildings are of little interest. The principal ones are the Palace, the University, and the Theatre. Operas, French comedies, and Roumanian plays are given at the latter. |