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After dinner, and the brief visit to the cathedral last night, we went for a late night walk round the castle. This is one of my absolute favorite things to do in Budapest: walk round the palace at night when there are fewer annoying tourists and the lights transform the city and the area to create a magical realm conducive to fairy activities.

This is a Unesco World Heritage site and the view of the Parliament, and chain bridge is beautiful. But my favorite part is the back area, where they have excavated walls, and re-established the original castle grounds overlooking the Buda Hills dotted with lit houses.

Also in this area is the Matthias Well* which when lit at night is much more interesting than during the day! As is the inner Oroszlános (Lion) Courtyard of the National Library. The lights play with the architecture creating interesting shadows on an otherwise relatively bland area.

The lions guarding the entrance take on a more mysterious and magical quality in this half-light. One of the things I’ve always bemused is why the lions sitting outside are quiet and placid, while the those just inside the entrance are roaring.

András Török, in his critical guide to Budapest, says the two outside are “…trying to discourage visitors with their grim looks…” while “…the other two, inside the gate, roar angrily at anyone who dared enter. ”

I find that an odd arrangement, and think the lions would better serve their purpose if they were roaring outside the gate, and sitting quietly inside. But perhaps these lions provide insight to the Hungarian way of thinking?

One thing that surprised, and disappointed me during last night’s walk (it was 1:30AM when we came down from the castle) was that they have fenced off the lower area directly above the tunnel. This is a cool spot to go and sit at night, and often during the summer one can see couples sitting there kissing and cuddling - but it seems this area is now fenced off. I wondered if it was because it gets slippery during the winter, but I don’t recall ever seeing the fence before and when I lived behind the castle I ran on these paths and staircases winter and summer alike!

*This Matthias Well is a curious thing. It depicts King Matthiaas as a huntsman with a slayed caribou at his feet, surrounded by his entourage, complete with hunting dogs. The woman off to one side is said to be ‘Helen the Fair’. What kills me is how András Török describes her: “…a girl of low birth who fell in the love with the king while he was hunting, not knowing who he was.” The suggestion of course, that love cannot exist between monarchs and common people. Pity the kings and queens, and others of high-birth - their choices are always limited to princes and princesses, leaving out some of the most interesting and adorable partners they could ever hope for!