Budapest Bug

Funny Funicular

 The Budapest Castle Hill Funicular or Budavári Sikló  – after the funicular built in Lyon – is the second one in the world.

The line was opened on March 2, 1870, but far not as a tourist’s attraction. The newly founded govermental offices of Hungay, -  better to say the Austro-Hungarian Empire - seated in Buda Castle, and the clercks working in them needed a way to approach their workplace, if they did not intended to climb up on the  sheer stairs every morning. Do not forget, buses started only in the 20’s! The funicular’s idea busted out from the head of Ödön Széchenyi (son of Count Stephen Széchenyi). The cute little train came into the ownership of Budapest’s municipality in 1920.

 The lookout of the three-parted wooden cabins are still the same, they were rebuilt to the original design in 1983. Only the decorated, flossy, cozy cushions serving the comfort of the highclass wayfarers of the old times are missing from the upper cabin parts. The two cablecars, „Margit” and „Gellért” are continously and diligently serve the citizens and visitors of Budapest again since 1986.

(Source: budapestbug.com)