The church of the Reformed Parish of Budahegyvidék at the corner of Böszörményi street and Beethoven street was expanded and renewed, and received a new tower. During the work, which lasted for more than two years, the church square was enlarged, five religious halls and a modern scout home were built, the entire engineering modernization of the building and the arrangement of the church garden were carried out. A total of 1,700 square feet of usable space is now available to the parish in the building.

A new church tower was erected, the church square was renovated and common areas were created (Photo: hegyvidek.hu)

The Reformed Church in Buda Hill was established in 1931. At first they held worship services at home and then at the gymnasium of the nearby school on Márvány Street. After the strengthening of the congregation, they now looked for an independent place for their own church - reminded Bishop István Bogárdi Szabó, pastor of the Reformed Parish of Budahegyvidék, at the Thanksgiving service held on 12 December, 2021. As we wrote earlier , the congregation bought the bankrupt Claridge restaurant in 1935 at the intersection of the late Gaál, today Beethoven Street and Böszörményi Road, but it was only intended as a temporary place. Although they were given land to build a church, it was later taken back by the communist state. (The MOM Cultural Center was built on this site.)

Services can be held in a renewed interior, the useful area has been expanded by one third (Photo: hegyvidek.hu)

The place intended to be temporary eventually became permanent. The first major remodel was in 1996, when the temple section was elevated. A gallery was built, and a large wooden tower was built for the belfry that had stood in the courtyard until then. The rest of the building has remained in its old, original condition.

In 2018, the parish was able to start the reconstruction with state support, and the congregation also donated. The primary consideration in the design was that, in addition to worship, other communities (such as Scouts) should be given a suitable place. The basement rooms and warehouses of the old restaurant, which were previously unused, have now been used during the renovation. Thus, the space could be expanded by about a third.

Claridge Restaurant in 1934 (Photo: Fortepan)

It was also an important consideration for the community to be able to hold the service during the renovation. Therefore, when the temple section was expanded, the congregation hall was used, and there were weekday occasions as well. Speaking about the renovation, István Bogárdi Szabó said: as always, this time the Lord helped them: although the current construction took more than two years, they can thank them for reaching the end.

The plans for the renovation are noted by architect Lajos Ónodi Szabó and interior designer Gyula Horváth.

Source: hegyvidek.hu

Cover photo: The church of the Reformed Parish of Budahegyvidék has been expanded and renewed (Photo: hegyvidek.hu)