Overview

Dear Traveller coming to Budapest!
Explore the rich Jewish heritage of Budapest on a unique and comfortable bike tour, ending with a visit to the delightful Babka Deli. This tour offers a smooth ride on brand-new bicycles, allowing you to experience the city's Jewish landmarks and vibrant culture effortlessly.

Throughout the tour, you'll visit the Kosher Market, where you can see and perhaps even sample traditional Jewish foods. We'll also pass by various Jewish cafés, where we can stop upon request to enjoy a drink and soak in the atmosphere.

The tour is designed to give you a deep appreciation of Budapest's Jewish history and present-day community. It's a perfect blend of cultural exploration and culinary delight, all from the comfort of your bike. Don't miss this opportunity to see Budapest in a way that's both informative and enjoyable.

Description

Stop At: Ghetto Memorial Wall, Budapest, Dohány u. 34, 1074 Hungary

The holes in this wall provide a glimpse into Jewish life in Budapest, both past and present. On 29 November 1944 the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Arrow Cross organization of Hungary – Gabor Vajna released the Decree on the Establishment of the Budapest Ghetto.
The Budapest Jews had to move to the land of the 7th district enclosed by the Dohany, Kertesz, Kiraly, Csanyi, Rumbach, Imre Madach streets and the Karoly ringroad. On December 10 the area was locked down and at the entry the sign appeared: christians forbidden entry. By January the next year almost 70000 people were crowded into the apartments of the area, many simply being stuck outside on the streets.

The year 2014 brought the 70th commemoration of the formation of the Budapest ghetto.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Kazinczy Street Synagogue, VII. Kazinczy Street 29-31, Budapest 1075

The Kazinczy Street Synagogue is an Orthodox synagogue located in the VII. district of Budapest, Hungary. It was built between 1912 and 1913 in the Art Nouveau style, and is one of the most characteristic works of Hungarian synagogue architecture before the First World War.

The synagogue was designed by Sándor Löffler and Béla Löffler, and was built for the Pest Orthodox Jewish Community, the most tradition-bound of the three branches of the Jewish community in Budapest at the time. The synagogue is a large, imposing building with a richly decorated interior. The main prayer hall is a long, narrow space with a high barrel-vaulted ceiling. The walls are decorated with colorful stained glass windows, and the bimah (Torah reading platform) is located at the eastern end of the room.

The Kazinczy Street Synagogue was damaged during World War II, but was restored after the war. It is now a functioning synagogue, and is also a popular tourist attraction.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Rumbach Street Synagogue, Rumbach Sebestyen utca 11-13, Budapest 1075

The Rumbach Street Synagogue, also known as the Rumbach Synagogue, is a synagogue located in the VII. district of Budapest, Hungary. It was built between 1891 and 1892 in the Moorish Revival style, and is one of the largest synagogues in Europe.

The synagogue was designed by Komor & Jakab, and was built for the Neolog Jewish Community of Pest. The synagogue is a large, imposing building with a richly decorated interior. The main prayer hall is a large, octagonal space with a high dome. The walls are decorated with colorful Moorish-style tiles, and the bimah (Torah reading platform) is located in the center of the room.

The Rumbach Street Synagogue was damaged during World War II, but was restored after the war. It is now a functioning synagogue, and is also a popular tourist attraction.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Carl Lutz Memorial, Dob utca 10, Budapest 1072

The Carl Lutz Memorial in Budapest commemorates Carl Lutz, a Swiss diplomat who heroically saved tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust. Here's what you can expect to find:

Location: The memorial is located near the entrance to the former Budapest ghetto on Dob utca.
Sculpture: The bronze sculpture by Tamás Szabó depicts a dramatic scene. One figure, symbolizing Lutz, reaches down from a building wall, connected by a flowing cloth to another figure lying on the ground, representing a rescued Jew.
Inscription: An inscription in Hungarian translates to "Whoever saves a life is considered to have saved an entire world."
Significance: The memorial serves as a powerful reminder of Carl Lutz's bravery and the countless lives he saved by issuing protective documents and creating safe houses during World War II.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Dohany Street Synagogue, Sip utca 12, Budapest 1075

The Dohány Street Synagogue, also known as the Great Synagogue of Budapest, is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest synagogue in the world. It is located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter of Budapest, Hungary, and is a popular tourist attraction.

History

The Dohány Street Synagogue was built between 1854 and 1859 in the Moorish Revival style. It was designed by Austrian architects Ludwig Förster and Ignác Wechselmann, and was built for the Pest Jewish Community. The synagogue is a large, imposing building with a richly decorated interior. The main prayer hall is a long, narrow space with a high barrel-vaulted ceiling. The walls are decorated with colorful stained glass windows, and the bimah (Torah reading platform) is located at the eastern end of the room.

The Dohány Street Synagogue was damaged during World War II, but was restored after the war. It is now a functioning synagogue, and is also a popular tourist attraction.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Shoes on the Danube Bank, Id. Antall Jozsef Rkp, Budapest 1054

The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a haunting and powerful memorial located in Budapest, Hungary. Here's what you should know:

Situated on the east bank of the Danube River.
The artwork consists of 60 pairs of cast-iron shoes, sculpted to resemble styles worn in the 1940s – men's shoes, women's shoes, and even children's shoes. These shoes lie scattered and abandoned along the riverbank, as if their owners had just stepped out of them.

This chilling display serves as a poignant memorial to the thousands of Jews murdered by the Arrow Cross Party, a fascist Hungarian group, during World War II. Victims were often forced to remove their shoes at the edge of the Danube before being shot and their bodies dumped into the river. Shoes, being valuable during wartime, were often stolen by the executioners.

The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a joint project by film director Can Togay and sculptor Gyula Pauer, installed in 2005 on the 60th anniversary of the Holocaust.

Duration: 15 minutes