The new, modern building of the Ráday College of the Károly Gáspár Reformed University is ready for construction in the 8th district at 28 Ráday street. As we have reported , a building was destroyed in 2019 by a fire in the building of the headquarters of the Dunamellék Reformed Diocese, which also houses the Faculty of Theology and its college. One person died in the tragedy.

The headquarters of the Dunamellék Reformed Diocese with the episcopal office and offices, the Ráday Higher Education Student Home (it burned down), the Károli Gáspár Reformed University Faculty of Theology, the Pál Törád Library , the editorial office of the Bible Bookstore and Parókia.hu.

The new dormitory building will be designed in accordance with modern fire safety regulations (Photo: reformatus.hu) 

The dormitory suffered such severe damage that it had to be demolished, but the construction of the new dormitory wing began in September 2020. The restoration also affects the other elements of the building complex, the facade of the old palace on Ráday Street will be renovated according to its 1911 condition.

The plot on the site of the building complex dates back to the 19th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, Márton Szvetenay a lawyer donated the land to the city. The building erected here also housed a barracks and a hospital. The building was used by the Hungarian Royal Tobacco Excise Company from 1850, and after a renovation, the Ferencváros Tobacco Factory operated here. The factory moved in 1911, when the tract overlooking Ráday Street was renovated and became the property of the Reformed Church, where the Theological Academy began operating in 1912.

In addition to the boarding school, the Episcopal Office, the Ráday Library and the Diocesan Archives also came here. In 1978, the ward assembly voted to expand and renovate the building. Between 1981 and 1983, a new building wing was created for the college. 

Visual design of the building complex (Source: raday28.hu)

According to the new plans, the institutions in the building complex will be well separated from each other, creating fire section boundaries. While until now there was an entrance to all departments only from Ráday Street, now the new wing of the Ráday College can be entered from Markusovszky Square. Work is currently underway here. The new building meets all modern fire safety standards in all respects. The new dormitory will accommodate 98 students, who will receive 48 rooms on three levels. The fourth level will feature guest rooms and faculty apartments. 

The Ráday Collection will be on the ground floor of the renovated building on Köztelek Street, with the educational rooms of the Faculty of Theology and ten department rooms and four seminar rooms upstairs. The Episcopal Office, the Bible Museum, the Ráday Collection and the Bible Bookstore can still be reached from Ráday Street.

The newly completed dormitory room (Photo: reformatus.hu)

The spiritual center of the institution will be established in the attic of the new block of buildings, and here will be the chapel that the university and the parish have long wanted to build in the house. The adjoining music hall, the office of the Spiritual and Student Self-Government, the community hall and the Pál Török Faculty Library are also located here. On the roof level of the dormitory wing, there will be roof terraces opening towards Markusovszky Square and Gellért Hill.

In the courtyard, roof gardens and a recreation park will be set up above the basements. Students are expected to move into the college in September 2022.

Source: reformatus.hu, raday28.hu

Cover photo: The renovated Ráday College will have a dormitory, a chapel, a library and a roof terrace (Source: raday28.hu)