Margaret Island is a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long island, 500 metres (550 yards) wide, (0.965 km2 (238 acres) in area) in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. 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).
Sights in the island include:
- the Centennial Memorial of 1973, by István Kiss, commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the city’s unification
- a small Japanese Garden with a mildly thermal fish pond
- a tiny zoo featuring a wide range of exotic waterfowl among other animals
- the “Music Well” (Zenélő kút), a small pavilion, which was originally built for open-air concerts
- the “Music Fountain” (Zenélő szökőkút), a fountain near which music is played and light shows are performed in summer (it is close to Margaret bridge). The water springs out according to music, so that the fountain seems to dance at the various classical themes reproduced.
- an octagonal Water Tower built in Art Nouveau style in 1911, today functioning as a lookout tower and an exhibition hall
The Music Fountain and the Water Tower are protected UNESCO sites.
Two hotels provide accommodation: the fin de siècle Grand Hotel Margitsziget, and the modern Thermal Hotel Margitsziget with thermal spa and various medical services. There is also an open-air theatre accommodating an audience of 3500, and several clubs and restaurants. For exploration and pastime, four-person cycle cars or small electric cars can be rented for use on the area of the island.
