Budapest, Hungary: Buda Castle

Here's the spot where Hungarian Kings hung out for centuries. The Buda Castle was completed way back in 1265, and received a bit of an upgrade early in the 1400s. That was before Columbus' trip, if you are counting.But it took a pounding in the 1500s, thanks to the battles between the Hapsburgs and the Ottoman Empire. The Hungarians tried to build something new in 1715, only to see it burn down.

Then something grander was constructed starting in 1749 - and it took 20 years to do it.  Remodeling took place in the next couple of hundreds year ago. They finally had something nice up and running by 1912 ... and it was considered one of the great buildings in the country.

Then, of course, World War II came along. The Soviets pinned the Hungarians and Germans on those grounds, and the castle area took a terrible pounding. After the war, reconstruction was considered possible, but a big palace wasn't exactly in line with Soviet goals for the country. Something more modest was built. By the 1980s, it was the home to three museums and a library. The Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest Historical Museum are there now.

It's still nice, but I'll bet it was better in the good old days.