A tender for the renovation of Blaha Lujza Square was published on the public procurement notice. The square, which was named after Blaha Lujza (the "nightingale of the nation") in 1920, has been a major transportation hub since the former National Theater (originally the People's Theater) building was blown up in 1965. The city's previous leadership decided it should be renovated in 2017, but work is yet to begin. The current tender suggests that half a century of neglect will be cleaned up next year if all goes well.


Visual of the completed renovation (Source: budapest.hu)

A complete renovation of the area has been planned, including tramlines, traffic lights, pavements, street furniture, fountains, and new plants. 

According to the tender published by the Budapest Transport Center (BKK), visitors will still enjoy the legendary fountain, as the contractor will have to install a three-nozzle mushroom-shaped fountain on the square and 38 nozzles sunk into the pavement as a water game. A total of 84 burgundy-red chairs will be placed on the square (no benches). Various paving types will be used, including 5,642 square metres of paving stones, 1,150 square metres of large cube stones, 2,550 square metres of concrete paving stones, and 1304 square metres of cast asphalt. The walls and retaining walls will be made of 217 metres of exposed decorative concrete. 


The cultural pavilion planned for the middle of the square, and the new plants will likely be added in a later phase of the renovation
(Source: budapest.hu)

The pedestrian, public and car transport network of the square will also be renewed: the tender includes the renovation of the 1100 square-metre underpass, the laying of a pavement made of 1400 square metres of paving stones, the construction of protected junctions, as well as the construction of drainage and other utilities. 

Although the current tender does not detail plants, the explanatory memorandum notes that the replacement of public utilities is justified by the "creation of new living space for vegetation". Furthermore, the construction of the oval-shaped cultural pavilion (which was designed to evoke the spirit of the National Theater), is also beyond doubt but will be completed in the next renovation phase. 


The square in 1893, photographed by György Klösz. The People's Theatre directly opposite. The building opened in 1875 and the company of the National Theater moved into it in 1908. The building was destroyed in 1965 due to the construction of metro line 2, when the present-day square was formed  (Photo: Fortepan/No.: 57554)

Execution will be undertaken by a company with appropriate references. The tender stipulates that only companies with a contract for the renovation of public spaces in the last 96 months with the required qualitative and quantitative requirements are eligible to enter. 

Prospective contractors may submit their bids until 15 February 2021. The renovation of Blaha Lujza Square, at least its first phase, must be completed by the end of next year.  According to an agreement reached between the government and Budapest in October, state support for the project can only be accessed until the end of 2021.