January 9, 2011: St. Matyas Church

January 9, 2011: Last week some colleagues mentioned that it was a short walk from Moscow Square (in Buda) to St. Matyas Church. So, since the sun was shining and I had finished preparing my lessons and done most of my laundry, I decided to check this out. I took the subway to Moscow Square and eventually found the road leading to the Buda Castle. Indeed it was a short walk to the hill where St Matyas and the Buda Castle are, although I learned that there are also buses that go from Moscow Square to the castle. Along the way, I encountered the first of the stately buildings that rest on top of the hill. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, the sun was starting to go down for the day so my pictures are a bit on the dull side.

A short walk later, I encountered a quaint church and a stately building.

I walked down the cobblestone street passing on the way a number of upscale restaurants and the Hilton Hotel, finally reaching St. Matyas Church a short while later.

St Matyas Church

I was pleased to see that the church is now open to visitors (The last time I was there in August, it was still closed for renovation). However, since the day had become dark, I decided not to buy a ticket to see the inside of the church. I'll wait for a sunnier day. I went up the steps to Fisherman's Bastion and saw that the Danube River was barely visible -- fog was setting in. I descended the steps to the plaza again, took two pictures of the statue there, 

and returned home via a bus to Moscow Square and then a subway followed by a bus. So ends my day of exploration.