I’m a huge fan of the entire Underworld saga franchise, especially the first movie. I’ve mentioned before that I love vampire movies, particularly those that portray them as stylish, sophisticated, and wealthy individuals who use their resources to indulge in high-tech gadgets (similar to movies like Blade and Rise). Adding Kate Beckinsale in a gothic latex outfit to the mix just takes it to another level for me.
While I enjoy almost every minute of first Underworld film, the opening scene with Selene standing on that balcony in the rain, overlooking the dark and timeless city, is definitely a favorite. Before my first trip to Budapest in 2009, knowing the movie was filmed there, I rewatched it to build excitement. I often do this before traveling, watching movies set in my destination city and reading about its history and social atmosphere. However, once in Budapest, I didn’t actively search for filming locations, and despite the city leaving a strong impression on me (the night views from the castle, the striking early 20th-century buildings with their worn facades, the sheer width of the Danube), I didn’t dwell on its connection to the movie.
While preparing for another Budapest trip this past June, I rewatched Underworld, and that opening scene captivated me once again. I couldn’t quite place those impressive buildings but assumed it might be Andrássy Ut, given its high concentration of late 19th and early 20th-century architecture and the metro line running along the avenue. A quick online search proved fruitless.
Upon arriving in Budapest, I ruled out Andrássy Ut as the location. It lacked the small square shown in the film, and none of the buildings seemed to match. Finding this spot wasn’t a top priority, so I focused on exploring the city’s grand avenues and magnificent, aging structures (a perfect contrast to Vienna or Prague). Surprisingly, I stumbled upon the location:
Two imposing buildings stand majestically on either side of Szabad satjó, on the Pest side of the Erzsébet bridge. A short walk away is the small square with a small church and a fountain adorned with a mask (though dry at the time). This is where the metro station entrance used in the film is located, although the interior shown in the movie doesn’t match; it’s more spacious with different walls.
Back home, further research led me to this interesting page, which stated:
“The opening battle between the Lycans and Vampires takes place on the Budapest Metro and although it is difficult to work out which station this is set at, it does look a lot like Arpad Hid station on the M3 line. Interestingly the New York subway entrances are actually based on those in Budapest.”
You can verify my findings by comparing my photos to screenshots from the film:
Buildings
Square
Incidentally, I recently watched another excellent film set in Budapest, 8mm II. This erotic thriller also features nocturnal beings, but these are human instead of vampires and lycans. The main character lives opposite St. Stephen’s Basilica, and one of the characters is played by the Hungarian beauty, who briefly appears in Underworld I and II as Amelia.
