A spin you did not expect

The Budapest Eye is one of those things that was supposed to be temporary. A bit like that friend who promises to stay for only one drink and then somehow becomes part of the furniture. The ferris wheel arrived as a short term attraction. It was meant to entertain tourists for a season or two. Yet here we are years later and it is still proudly turning above Erzsébet tér.

History of a wheel that stayed

The wheel first appeared in the early 2010s. It was brought in as a seasonal feature to add some sparkle to the city centre. People loved it. Tourists queued for it. Locals complained about it and then quietly queued for it as well. The city soon realised that removing it would cause more noise than keeping it. So the temporary wheel slowly transformed into a permanent resident.

The location in the heart of the city

Erzsébet tér is one of the busiest squares in Budapest. It is full of people who are either rushing somewhere or pretending not to rush while holding an ice cream. The Budapest Eye sits right in the middle of this organised chaos. It is surrounded by cafés, bars and the occasional person who has clearly lost the rest of their group. The wheel adds a bit of calm to the square even though it is impossible to miss.

The view from above

The Budapest Eye offers a full 360 degree panorama of the city. You can see the Danube, the Basilica, the Castle District and the endless rooftops that make Budapest look like a postcard. The cabins move slowly which gives you enough time to take photos and to question your life choices if you are afraid of heights. The view is worth it though. Even the most cynical visitor usually admits that it is quite impressive.

A permanent part of the city

What started as a temporary attraction has now become a fixed feature of the Budapest skyline. It is part of the city’s rhythm. It lights up the evenings and gives tourists something to point at while holding a map upside down. Budapest has many historic monuments but the Budapest Eye has earned its place among them in its own modern way.