Budapest at Night.. .It wasn't until 1873 that Buda and Pest finally merged into one city. And, it was first called Pest-Buda, which somehow just doesn't have the right ring to it. This merger also included Óbuda, and Budapest was the capital city over a chunk of Eastern Europe. Many of the city's best sites, which look even better at night, were constructed to celebrate Hungary's 1000th birthday in 1896. Stroll on both sides of the Danube, or better yet, take a nighttime cruise on the river. However you do it, the city sparkles at night and photos cannot do it justice.