Exploring the Buda Hills following the Buda vineyard naming

Itinerary:

• From the terminal stop of bus 155 we start on Zugligeti Street following the Z+ marking, then after a few hundred metres we turn right following the Z marking
• Upon entering the forest, we turn left on the Z▲ marking, then passing the Fairy Rock we climb under the Chairlift to the upper station of the Chairlift.
• We go up to János Hill on the P marking, then descend to Szépjuhászné.
• We climb up on the S marking to the Kaán Károly lookout standing at the top of Big Hárs Hill, then descend to the Hárs Hill saddle.
• With a short detour (S▲) we climb up to the top of Little Hárs Hill for another wonderful view.
• Descending back to the saddle, we turn right on the Z↺ marking, then soon switch to the Z+ marking.
• Upon reaching the Z marking, we turn left onto Szerb Antal Street, pass the ruins of the Nyéki Royal Hunting Lodge, climb up to the Apáthy Rock, pass by Rock Gate, and finally reach the Árpád Lookout.
• From the lookout, we follow the K marking, then turn right above Fenyőgyöngye on the K+ marking.
• We cross Hermit Hill and Mátyás Hill, then upon reaching Mátyáshegyi Road, turn right on the KΩ marking.
• Passing by the Pál Valley Cave, above the Szemlő Hill Cave we switch to the ZΩ marking, then soon turn left on the Z▲ marking.
• Passing Szemlő Hill, we descend to the Danube.

Detailed description of the route

Naming vineyards at the magical Fairy Rock

Wolfswiese, Lindenberg, Kammerwald, Krutzenwinkel, Paulithal, Schöntal and Kukuckberg. No, this is not the Vienna Woods, but the former names of parts of the Buda Hills before the Reform Era, when Buda's population was mostly German-speaking. After the city council approved Gábor Döbrentei’s proposal on June 11, 1847, on June 19, 1847, the memorable excursion took place when a large group led by Döbrentei climbed the then-called Am Himmel, now called Fairy Hill. They looked around, read the resolution aloud, and performed the "naming of vineyards." Afterwards, the group celebrated the naming of vineyards at the estate located on today’s site of Zugligeti General School, where many hills, valleys and springs in Buda received new Hungarian names. Where else would we start this route, rich in both natural and cultural sights, than at Zugligeti General School, whose wall proudly honours this notable event.

From here, following the Z+-Z-Z▲ markings, in ten minutes we reach the picturesque Fairy Rock, which is named not after the fairies supposedly living there but – disillusioningly – after the magical view. This rock prominently rises from the 386-metre-high ridge of Fairy Hill, offering a unique panorama of the surrounding districts and peaks. Below us lies Hunyad Cliff and Pheasant Hill surrounding Zugliget, above us is János Hill, and we can also see our entire trail from Big Hárs Hill to the Hármashatár Hills group. From the cliff next to the stairs, everything is visible, but climbing on the large rock is strictly forbidden and dangerous. Zugliget’s old names were Auwinkel, Ligetzug, earlier Sauwinkel, Disznózug – referring to the wild boars of the former game reserve. One part of it is Virányos, the most floral part of Zugliget.

After climbing the stairway – and the unmarked peak of Fairy Hill – following the Z▲ marking, we pass under the chairlift, then climb to its upper station, from where we make a last effort on the P marking to capture Budapest’s highest point, János Hill (formerly Johannesberg), and the iconic lookout tower standing there. The building is named after Sisi, the beloved Hungarian empress, who often hiked here. From here a 360-degree panorama opens out, including more distant parts of the Buda Hills and the Pilis.

Following in the footsteps of the Paulines

Descending to Szépjuhászné, we set off to conquer our next peak, Big Hárs Hill (S marking). The rather charming path does not pose much difficulty in climbing, and the Kaán Károly Lookout atop invites further topographical exploration.

The stunning bulk of János Hill is the most visible from here. Among place names, Swabian Hill (Schwabenberg) is the most interesting, being a simple translation, though opinions diverge on the origin. Some mention Buda’s recapture in 1686 when the Swabian artillery cannons were set up on Little Swabian Hill. The most accepted explanation, however, refers to the Swabians who settled here in the 18th century and began intensive viticulture.

Also intriguing is the naming of Big Hárs Hill, as its Magyarisation (Bátori Hill) was one of the unsuccessful attempts during the naming of vineyards, eventually replaced by the German name's (Lindenberg) literal translation. The attempt revives a notable episode in history: on the hill's side (Szépjuhászné) lived Bátori László, a hermit residing in the cave at the summit, belonging to the Pauline monastery in Buda-Szentlőrinc. Furthermore, the height itself was previously called Paul Hill, just like Pasarét was called Paul Valley, commemorating the famous monastic order. From here, Petneházy Meadow (Sonnenwirthswiesen, Wiesennel) is also visible, named after Daniel Petneházy, a Kuruc captain who heroically fought during the recapture of Buda in 1686, being among the first to reach the castle walls and raise the Hungarian flag. Lastly, let us recall Kurucles (Krutzenwinkel), visible to some extent from here. This story refers to the Rákóczi War of Independence: allegedly, from here the Kurucs deceived the city of Buda, which sided with the emperor and did not join Ferenc Rákóczi. Slightly farther we glimpse the well-known Hűvösvölgy (Im Kühlental), named by literal translation.

A taste of culture in the 2nd district

On the S marking, we descend to the Hárs Hill saddle where a short detour (S▲) should definitely be made to visit the lookout at the top of Little Hárs Hill! From here a fantastic panorama unfolds toward the Danube bridges, and we take a closer look at the hills on the far side of Hűvösvölgy – which seem quite close from here!

From the spectacular Apáthy Rock toward the city, we find Törökvész (Fruchtbare Ried, Ochsen Ried, Rochusberg). The German names "Landlord's Meadow", "Ox Meadow" and "Rochus Hill" were given in memory of the 1686 recapture. Supposedly many janissaries and spahis supporting the besieged Ottoman army were slaughtered here, leading to this ominous name. Also nearby Pasarét (Sauwiese), contrary to popular belief, has no connection to the camp of Turkish pashas. Its former name Disznórét referred to a marshy pasture (with 'pasa' derived from Serbian and 'ried' from German meaning reed).

Descending back to the saddle, we turn right on the Z↺ marking, then soon switch to the Z+ route. We enter the housing area and turn left on the Z marking in Szerb Antal Street. Shortly after, we pass the ruins of the Nyéki royal hunting lodge. The name Nyék comes from the former settlement standing here until the 16th century in the area neighboring Leopoldfeld (Lipótmező). We pass by the Sunflower Street experimental housing estate, one of the outstanding Hungarian Bauhaus landmarks – worth a brief detour to soak in the atmosphere of this unique street. Continuing still following the Z marking, we climb stairs to the cliff of Apáthy Rock. The steep dolomite slope could not be built on, so the now protected area wedges like an island above the Devil's Ditch. From its top we can look back on our route, and the steep promontory almost reveals the houses of Lipótmező below.

Moving on, we pass the aptly named Iron Gate Hill, whose Rock Gate below shows the red soil that gave the hill its name. Crossing Görgényi Street, we start our last major climb to Árpád Lookout.

Wonderful views on Látó Hill

One of our most important stops on the tour is Árpád Lookout, built in 1929 with the support of Frigyes Glück, hotel owner and enthusiastic nature lover, standing on the slope of Látó Hill. From here we have a direct view of the Danube’s meandering line with its bridges, as well as the nearby hills now integral to Budapest. Below the lookout, Csatárka was named in memory of the battles fought during the Turkish era; while the prominently visible Sas Hill (Adlerberg) is traditionally said to have gotten its name because on September 2, 1686, during the victory parade after Buda's recapture, eagles flew up from here towards the Castle. Rézmál (Kalvarienberg, Kreidenbruch) is also visible, named after an earlier 14th-century name replacing the German "Calvary Hill" and "Chalk Mine"; “mál” in ancient Hungarian means a southern, sunlit slope.

Budapest, one of the richest capitals in natural treasures

The final section of our route leads mostly through an urban environment. Budapest has nearly 300 protected natural treasures, most of which belong to the Danube-Ipoly National Park Directorate, but smaller, mostly patchy locally protected areas have been placed under the protection of the Budapest Municipality over the past decades. Compared to other world cities of similar size, Budapest ranks very well in terms of natural treasures, and in fact possibly leads European major cities in biodiversity. This is thanks to the mosaic and diverse fauna of the Carpathian Basin, which is especially evident in a large city located at the boundary between plains and mid-mountains.

From the lookout, we follow the K marking, then after leaving Fenyőgyöngye we turn right on the K+ marking. We cross the less scenic Hermit Hill and Mátyás Hill, then turning right onto Mátyáshegyi Road on the KΩ marking, and soon arrive at the Pál Valley Cave. Few know that Budapest’s perhaps most popular accessible cave is also the longest cave in the country. In 2011, researchers discovered a natural passage connecting the Pál Valley, Mátyás Hill, and Harcsaszájú–Hideg-luk cave systems, making the 28.6 km-long Pál Valley cave system the rightful holder of this title, surpassing the Aggtelek Baradla-Domica system. Of the more than two hundred caves in the Buda Hills, the most famous are within the city limits. The warmth-originated caves of the Buda Hills were formed not by surface water but by hot springs rising from deep underground shaping the multi-level galleries in the limestone here. Most caves dried out due to the ongoing uplift of the hills, and as this process continues today, the karst waters rising from great depths still feed the Felhévíz spa and also shape the Molnár János spring cave.

Continuing on the KΩ marking, just above the other visitor cave, Szemlő Hill, we switch to the ZΩ marking. Shortly we turn left on the Z▲ marking, and soon reach the last, perhaps most special panoramic point of our route, the József Hill Lookout. (Beneath it lies the particularly beautiful József Hill cave, accessible only with a permit.) During the vineyard naming, the former József Hill (Josephberg) got the name Szemlő Hill because the artillery observers were allegedly stationed here during the recapture of Buda.

From here, the pronounced narrowing of Pál Valley (Paulithal), which recalls a Pauline monastery, is very visible, above it Szép Valley (Schöntal), whose name originated from a simple literal translation. Higher up, Tábor Hill (probably formerly Lagerberg) is seen, whose naming commemorates soldiers camping here during Buda’s 1686 recapture. Also visible are the recently visited Mátyás Hill (Matthiasberg) and the somewhat more interesting Ferenc Hill, as well as Vérhalom (Franzisciberg) district. The name Franzisciberg was mistakenly changed to Vérhalom because at the time of vineyard naming it was believed that the victims executed from the Martinovics conspiracy were buried at today's Vérhalom Square.

Leaving Szemlő Hill, we descend through charming streets to the Danube, where our tour ends. Reviewing the vineyard naming and comparing it with today’s tourist maps shows that the action (often a literal translation, occasionally restoration or new naming) was largely successful. The historical episode is a beautiful memory of the Reform Era, culminating in the revolution, and the vineyard naming tour is an excellent opportunity to explore the uniquely rich natural and cultural treasures of Buda.