Contra-Aquincum and Pest's Oldest Church

Look down, beneath the glass: these stones are all that's left of Contra-Aquincum, a small Roman fort. Nearly two thousand years ago the Danube was the frontier of the Empire. On the far bank lay Aquincum, capital of the province of Pannonia, and here, on the "barbarian" bank, Rome kept watch over the river crossing.

1A frontier of stone

The fort was strengthened in the late 3rd century, as raids from across the Danube became more frequent. It's said that, in the rush, tombstones from a nearby cemetery were reused. When the frontier gave way, the fort vanished beneath the town, and its remains were only studied in modern times.

2A martyr's grave

On this same ground stands the Inner City Parish Church, the oldest in Pest. According to tradition, Bishop Gerard, Gellért in Hungarian, was buried here in 1046 after being killed on the hill you can see across the river. His remains were later moved to Csanád, his diocese.

During the Ottoman occupation the church served as a mosque, and inside it still has a mihrab, the niche showing the direction of Mecca. After a fire in 1723 it was rebuilt in Baroque style. After the Second World War, when Elisabeth Bridge was being rebuilt, there was even talk of demolishing it; the Church negotiated and the building was saved.

Romans, Magyars, Ottomans and Baroque: four layers of the city in a few metres.

3What to look for

• The Roman walls under the glass, in the middle of the square.
• The bridge ramp brushing past the church: the trace of that threatened demolition.
• Gellért Hill across the river, with the bishop's statue looking this way.