Aquincum Museum and Ruin Garden

Aquincum was the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia Inferior during the 3rd century which was located on the site of the modern-day Óbuda area of Budapest. The places of worship, houses (with central heating!), shops, legal courts, public bathhouses and the fantastic amphitheatre discovered and restored by archaeologists here are evidence of the huge advances made by the Empire. This fascinating site gives a real sense of how a wealthy regional capital worked many centuries ago.

Founded first as an army encampment by the Emperor Vespasian in the 1st century, the town would go on to grow around the fortifications, reaching 30,000 to 40,000 inhabitants by the end of the 2nd century. The city covered most of the modern day Óbuda district. The importance of Aquincum is reflected in the fact that a number of local leaders sent to Rome would ultimately go on to achieve significant leadership roles there. In the other direction, the incredible technological advances of the empire were shared, leading to the building of a grandiose amphitheatre – one of the largest in the provinces – as well as a three-level aqueduct.

In the present day, there is an archaeological park to be explored, for which there is an admission fee. Admire the glorious colour and artistry of the restored murals and ornate mosaics found in Aquincum in Aquincum Museum, situated adjacent to the site. The governor's palace held many sculptures and relics, and these are also on display, testifying to the immense wealth of the city. Take some time to browse through the wonderful resource that is the Aquincum Vision Storage, which allows you to trace the history of human habitation of this site, from prehistoric times through to Roman times, and then on to the days of the Huns.

Aquincum Museum is closed on Mondays, but otherwise is open throughout the year. You can have an English-language tour, but make sure to book well in advance. There is a fee for entry, except for on national holidays (March 15, August 20, and October 23). There are public buses to both the northern and southern entrances of the archaeological park.