When you're visiting Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, one of the tourist attractions that you must visit is the Fisherman's Bastion.

With its Neo-Romanesque architecture, it's one of the most important tourist attractions in the city because of its relevance in history. Plus it offers unique panoramic views of Budapest.

The Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary

This is a quick guide on what you need to know about this iconic spot.


About Fisherman's Bastion

Known as Halászbástya in Hungarian, the Fisherman's Bastion is one of the most popular monuments in Budapest. It's located near the Buda Castle, which is in the 1st district of Budapest. 

The Fisherman's Bastion stands parallel to the Danube. It's approximately 140 meters long and it has seven high-pitched stone towers that symbolize the seven chieftains who founded Hungary in 895.

Its original walls were built in the 1700s and formed part of the walls of a castle, which were said to be protected a the guild of fishermen. Its current structure was completed between 1895 and 1902 in Neo-Romanesque style by architect Frigyes Schulek.

Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary
Statue of St. Stephen at the Fisherman's Bastion


A Panoramic View of Budapest

One of the best parts about the Fisherman's Bastion is that it offers panoramic views of the Danube River and Budapest with the Hungarian Parliament Building dominating the view.

Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary
Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary
Panoramic views of Budapest

Where to Get Tickets to the Fisherman's Bastion

While many areas of the Fisherman's Bastion are open to everyone with no entrance fee, including the seven towers and several balconies, some parts of it do require a ticket which you can purchase near the main entrance to the upper balconies.

Here are the current ticket prices:

  • Adults - HUF 1000 (approx. €3.40)
  • Students - HUF 500 (approx. €1.70)
  • Children Under 14 - HUF 500 (approx. €1.70)
  • Children Under 6 - FREE
  • Pensioners (from EU member states) - HUF 500 (approx. €1.70)
Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary
A view of Budapest from one of the upper towers


How to Get to the Fisherman's Bastion

The best way to directly get to the Fisherman's Bastion is by metro. Take the M2 line and get off at Batthyány tér and from there, the Fisherman's Bastion is just 900 meters away.

When I visited, I got off at Széll Kálmán tér. With this route, it was a much longer walk to the Fisherman's Bastion but I got to see some hidden gems along the way such as the Mária Magdolna Torony and a cute little street called Fortuna Utca.

Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary

Alternatively, you can take bus 16 going to Castle Hill and get off at Szentharomsag ter, which is close to Matthias Church, and walk for a couple of minutes going to the Fisherman’s Bastion.

When to Visit the Fisherman's Bastion

The Fisherman's Bastion is open every day. That means that you can go there any time of the day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

But if you want to access the paid areas, then you can only do so between 9 AM to 11 PM.

Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary

If you're planning to visit Budapest, make sure to include the Fisherman's Bastion in your itinerary. It's definitely a must-see!