Budapest

We have been able to fly abroad from Budapest as a passenger for a hundred years Today, we take it for granted to buy a plane ticket and simply get on the plane. Few think about since when we can do this. And now we are celebrating an anniversary: our predecessors were first able to board a passenger plane in Budapest 100 years ago. Since then, the industry and tourism have also undergone tremendous development: almost 16 million passengers turned up at Liszt Ferenc Airport in the year before the epidemic.

Before the big changes - Budapest at the time of the compromise The Austro-Hungarian Compromise, established in 1867, ushered in one of Hungary's heyday. Under the Compromise of 155 years ago, a dual system was created - hence our common word dualism, which is used to characterise the period up to 1918. This upswing has brought about great changes: as a result of industrialisation, more and more people have moved to the cities, and the population of Budapest has grown exponentially. But what was the capital like in the second half of the 1860s?

With a balloon over Budapest - the Turul took off 120 years ago The hot air balloon lookout opened in Városliget is not the first such contraption in Budapest: it was already possible to rise above the city with a balloon at the millennium exhibition. However, the balloon, Turul, launched 120 years ago on 1 May 1902, was not intended to entertain the public, but to do research. In addition to meteorological observations,we can also thank it for a number of aerial photographs, which show how Budapest looked from above at the beginning of the 20th century.

The first official program was broadcast by Hungarian Television 65 years ago Television is nearly a hundred-year-old invention that many Hungarian researchers worked on in the beginning. In Hungary, however, work began only in the 1950s to enable Hungarian broadcasting in Hungarian households. The experimental broadcasts started in 1956, and after the revolution, on the evening of 26 April 1957, a film was shown on television, but the first "official" broadcast, the Heroes' Square parade, was broadcast by the Hungarian Television only on 1 May 1957, for political reasons.

Archaeologists may have found a medieval cemetery in the 11th district Among the prehistoric traces, the staff of the Budapest History Museum presumably found medieval burials next to Budafoki street in Újbuda. Traces of Stone Age finds and buildings have been found in the area before, now the former cemetery of the village of Kocsola, which was destroyed in the Middle Ages, has probably been found.

The equestrian statue of András Hadik was unveiled in the Buda Castle 85 years ago The work of the sculptor György Vastagh Jr., who also made the Csikós statue, was unveiled in 1937 in the small square at the intersection of Úri Street and Szentháromság Street in the presence of the country's leaders at the time. The statue commemorating the former warlord of the Habsburg Empire, András Hadik and the 3rd Hussar Regiment, has been associated with a strange custom among graduating students of the Műegyetem (Budapest University of Technology) since the 1950s.

Bees on the roof - The inner hall of the Postal Savings Bank is being renovated In the vicinity of Szabadság Square, the Postatakarékpénztár [Postal Savings Bank], which was built at the turn of the century, has been being renovated for months. In addition to Ödön Lechner's main work, three other works by the master are also being restored: the Museum of Applied Arts, the Balás Sipeki Villa next to the Városliget and the Drechsler Palace on Andrássy Avenue. While the latter are undergoing a larger-scale change visible from the outside, in the case of the Postal Savings Bank, its internal box office will get back its original dome. Once upon a time, this was also characterized by an imaginative ornamentation similar to the façade, but it was remodelled over time according to the needs of its use, but it was not spared by the storms of history.

The garden of revolution and love - A Museum Garden Guide from a new angle One of the most charming open-air venues in the city centre is the Museum Garden, which once again shines in its full splendour: looking at its sculptures and memorial plaques, or relaxing on one of the museum’s steps and benches, can reminds us of the rich past of this special historical site. This extraordinary richness is illustrated by a gap-filling publication, the Museum Garden Guide, which - worthy of its title - guides us through the garden, recalling the events of the past, with many surprises in store for the reader.

Sixty years ago, Budapest was at a crossroads - the transport of the capital in the 1960s Budapest's traffic was at a crossroads 60 years ago as well as now. Experts sought answers to questions about how much the then outdated public transport network needs to be developed and how to prepare the city for the expected car traffic. Studies have also helped to make these decisions. Based on a work published 60 years ago, we present the transport dilemmas of Budapest at that time.

Another four green bus waiters have been set up in Downtown The number of bus waiters planted and planted with plants in the city center has further expanded. The green waiting places have been handed over in Hild Square, Servita Square, Podmaniczky Square and Jászai Mari Square, so there are now eight green bus waiting areas in the city center.

A world-famous Hungarian brand - The Törley Champagne Factory is 140 years old To this day, Törley champagne is one of the most famous Hungarian products, an almost obligatory element of the celebrations in Hungary, and the brand is also present in many foreign countries. Like almost everything, the roots of this factory date back to the second half of the 19th century, the period of dualism: József Törley founded his plant in Budafok in 1882, exactly one hundred and forty years ago. However, not only the drink made there is of a very high standard, but also the family's buildings in Budapest.

One of the first Hungarian machine factories operated in Lipótváros One of the first machine factories in Pest practically operated as a subsidiary of the József Rolling Mill, and for economic reasons it became an independent factory, which then became one of the first machine factories in Hungarian industry 175 years ago. Unfortunately, it was not long-lived, but its impact was significant.

From Pest to Constantinople - Exhibition on navigation on the Danube An exhibition can be seen in Gül Baba's tomb, which commemorates one of the largest enterprises of the 19th century, the opening of the Danube to the east. Among the objects we can see the model of the boat, Julietta, the original of which was used by István Széchenyi and his companions when they crossed the Danube in 1830 on a houseboat, Desdemona, which was built for this purpose, assessing the difficulties before sailing.

The former Downtown Café in the South Klotild Palace has regained its original splendor After decades of oblivion, the former Downtown Café will open under the name Matild Café & Cabaret on 19 May at the South Klotild Palace. The two-storey, 300-seat café has been restored based on contemporary drawings and photographs.

Budapest's air gate - This is how Ferihegy Airport expanded 25 years ago The air gate of Budapest is Liszt Ferenc International Airport. In common parlance, the history of the airport, also called Ferihegy Airport after its old name, is very adventurous, as it was planned before the war, but only handed over afterwards. There have been several significant changes in the life of the airport since then, such as the construction of Terminal 2B, which had just begun 25 years ago.

Hungarian spirit - The Renaissance inspired Pesterzsébet's special school building The characteristic building of the Lázár Vilmos Elementary School in Pesterzsébet easily attracts attention. Although it is quite out of the capital's flow due to its location, it is closely connected to the high architectural culture of Budapest due to its designer: this is also the work of Jenő Lechner, the designer of the Vienna Gate in Buda Castle and the Jókai Tomb, who finalised the plans on 11 April 1916, exactly 106 years ago.

Fifty years ago: severe water shortages in Budapest As in the current drought, Hungary and Budapest was hit by a significant water shortage fifty years ago, exacerbated by an outdated water supply network and regular pipe ruptures. The situation was so critical in 1971–1972 that the water consumption of industrial plants was restricted and the population felt water shortages, as in many places there was no water flowing from the taps, so for a while the water supply had to be secured by water carts.

The first Danube bridges in Budapest were designed by foreigners - English and French engineers were commissioned Although the construction of bridges has a long tradition in Budapest, in the XIX. century there was not enough expertise and technology at home for this job for a long time. Foreign engineers also originally built the Chain Bridge, the Margit Bridge and the Railway Bridge. The first completely Hungarian Danube crossing was the Ferenc József Bridge, which was built in 1896 for the celebration of the millennium of Hungary.

The Bastion Park in Downtown has been handed over Next to the city wall of Pest, built during the reign of King Matthias, the new community space of the city center, the Bastion Park, was established. If you visit here, you will find a lookout point to the Rock Chapel on Gellért Hill, a playground and a city history gallery. The space made greener with new trees and plants was taken over by the general public yesterday.

Stunning interiors - PestBuda visited the renovated Postal Palace The best-known building of Széll Kálmán Square is the former Buda Postal Palace, which has been dignified over the area since its handover in 1926. Hungarian Post (Magyar Posta) moved out of it in 2008, so it was empty for many years, it only found a customer in 2016. It was transferred to the Hungarian National Bank in 2018, and thanks to the reconstruction that began at that time, the building was reborn as the HNB Supervisory Centre and Money Museum. Huge changes have taken place, but they have been carried out with careful attention, and the interiors have been renewed in a way that also reflects the original states. PestBuda toured the renovated building.

Flowery housing estate from the world of deep poverty - The former emergency houses of Marie Valerie housing estate were demolished 65 years ago The József Attila housing estate is one of the districts of Budapest with the most green areas, trees and bushes, in 2012 it even won the title of the most flowering housing estate in the country. However, fewer and fewer people here know that there was a time when this area was not known for its comfort. Its name was also different, which in itself revealed a lot about the conditions here: Marie Valerie emergency housing estate.

It was decided 245 years ago that the oldest university in Hungary was moving to Buda The oldest, still operating university in Hungary, the legal predecessor of today's Eötvös Loránd University, Semmelweis University and Pázmány Péter Catholic University, began operating in Nagyszombat [today Trnava] in 1635. Maria Theresa decided to move it, and although it was suggested that it should be placed in the Invalidus Palace in Pest, in the building of today's Central Town Hall, it was finally moved to Buda, into the Castle, in 1777.

Sándor Petőfi lived in several places around the National Museum At the beginning of March 1848, the National Museum was one of the most important places in the life of the youth of March, including Sándor Petőfi. Half a decade earlier, Petőfi's life was also connected to this area at several points, as the main locations of his stay in Pest in 1843 and 1844 can be found in the area around the museum. There were several buildings in the area that no longer exist today, where the poet visited for a short time or was just renting accommodation.

Áron Gábor's copper cannon in the Buda Castle - The people of Budapest can see the artillery device known from the folk song with their own eyes The only authentic copper cannon connected to Áron Gábor, which is known from the famous folk song, can be seen in a worthy place, in the building of the reborn Guard House at the Buda Castle. At the exhibition on the War of Independence of 1848-49, visitors can admire the cannon itself, but there are many other interesting objects associated with the revolution and the period of retaliation shown in the building.

Gold Bars in the deep - The Money Museum opens in the Buda Palace on 15 March One of the most famous buildings of Széll Kálmán Square, the former Buda Postal Palace, has undergone huge changes in recent years. It was purchased by the Hungarian National Bank and began its renovation in 2018. Its exterior has been restored to its golden age, while its interiors have been modernised to accommodate its new functions: most of it has been occupied by the bank's supervisory centre, and the Money Museum was installed in the north wing, which will open on 15 March. However, it was already shown to the press, where Pestbuda could also report from.

After the war, the coat of arms of the nobility only remained on the Buda side of the Chain Bridge Two coats of arms were placed on the Chain Bridge 170 years ago, three years after it opened. Family, noble symbols that referred to the two people without whom the first permanent Danube bridge connecting Pest and Buda would not have been built. They were the greatest Hungarian and a wealthy banker, István Széchenyi and György Sina, to whom the general meeting of the Chain Bridge Company wanted to give gratitude this way.

The look of the second bridge of Budapest was decided 150 years ago The result of the design competition for the Margit Bridge was decided on 9 March 1872, 150 years ago. The winner became Ernest Gouin’s elegant arch bridge idea. The bridge south of Margit Island was to be built with a representative purpose, hoping to raise the light of the about-to-be united Budapest, and help make it a Vienna-like capital of the country. Despite large-scale ideas, there has been a petty discussion about cutting construction costs.

An impressively rich oeuvre of an architect - József Hild died 155 years ago One of the most famous figures of Hungary in the 16th century was József Hild. He fully deserved his reputation, as the cityscape of Pest, which was booming, was largely determined by his work. However, the unbroken development also caused the destruction of most of his works: many of his inner city buildings were demolished to give way to newer and bigger ones. Fortunately, some of his buildings still stand today and promote the talent of their designer.

The newest bridge in Budapest - An arched footbridge will connect Csepel with Pest The special pedestrian bridge is already under construction in Budapest, which, starting from the athletic stadium of the 9th District, will finally connect the Csepel Island peak to the city's circulation. The structure will connect the island with the Pest side with an arched road, and its recently erected pylon reaches a height of 65 metres.