The view from the Palace of Margaret Island (Margitsziget)and the Parliment Building

Margaret Island (Hungarian: Margit-sziget) is a 2.5 km (1.4 miles) long island, 500 metres (550 yards) wide, (0.965 km² (225 acres) in area)
in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary.
It belongs administratively to the 13th district.
The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area.
Its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance in the Middle Ages as a religious centre.
The island spans the area between the Margaret Bridge (south) and the Árpád Bridge (north).

History

The Knights of St. John settled on the island in the 12th century.
Among the present historical monuments of the island are the 13th century ruins
of a Franciscan church and a Dominican church and convent,
as well as a Premonstratensian church from the 12th century.
Members of the Augustinian order also lived on the island.

The island was dominated by nunneries, churches and cloisters until the 16th century.
During the Ottoman wars the monks and nuns fled and the buildings were destroyed.
In the 18th century it was chosen to be the resort of palatines.
It was declared a public garden in 1908.

The Centennial Memorial
Since the 1980s, entry by cars has been limited to special cases;
only a single bus line and taxis, alongside the service traffic of local stores and restaurants are allowed to enter.
On the northern end of the island a car park houses the cars of hotel guests.


A 3 image wide (handheld) Panorama stitched in PTGUI Pro 9
From the Buda side.