Bécsi kapu
Coordinates: 47°30′18″N 19°1′50″E / 47.50500°N 19.03056°E
| Gate of Vienna | |
|---|---|
| Bécsi kapu | |
|
Bécsi kapu from the Lutheran Church of Budavár | |
  Location in Hungary | |
| General information | |
| Type | Gateway |
| Town or city | Budapest |
| Country | Hungary |
| Coordinates | 47°30′18″N 19°1′50″E / 47.50500°N 19.03056°E |
Bécsi kapu (in English Gate of Vienna; Turkish: Beç Kapısı; German: Wiener Tor) is located at the Bécsi kapu square, Buda Castle, in 1st District, Budapest, Hungary. As the name suggests, it was the port connecting the Castle with the highway to Vienna.
History
During the Middle Ages it was called Szombat-kapu (Saturday Gate), because markets were held in front of it every Saturday. It has been called Becs kapuszu by the Ottomans. Later it became Zsidó-kapu (Jewish Gate). One of its two side-gates were removed in the early 19th century, and in 1896, the whole gate was demolished. The current gate was restored in 1936, commemorating the 250th anniversary of Recapturing of Buda.
Description
The rebuilt gate, designed by Jenő Kismarty-Lechner, has a more symbolical, rather than functional value. Inscriptions, ornaments and relifs, including a running angel was sculpted by Béla Ohmann. Two parts of Bástya sétány are connected on the top of the gate. There are automatic barriers at the gate to mitigate transport in the Castle.
Further reading
- Bécsi kapu (Vienna Gate) in the online database The Castle of Buda
Sources
László, Berza. Budapest Lexicon I A-K. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1993. ISBN 9789630564090