Budapest

Timing trouble – The difficulties of introducing a 24-hour clock system Today, it is natural for a train to depart Nyugati Railway Station not at 1 pm, but at 13:00, but on 1 June 1921, this was a surprising novelty. The 24-hour clock system, introduced a hundred years ago, was unusual for the people of Budapest even years later. However, even clock faces were redesigned because of the change.

Rác Bath sold – Budapest bath operator wins auction The story of Rác Bath has reached another milestone, after standing empty for ten years since its renovation. During the liquidation procedure, Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei Zrt. (BGYH) was the only bidder to buy the spa and the hotel built at the starting price of about five billion HUF. However, the opening will have to wait, as the building needs further renovations.

Mushroom on Örs Vezér Square to close Let's meet on Örs, at the Mushroom! The common sentence marks a meeting place almost as well known as the clock on the old Moszkva Square. The Mushroom once housed a traffic control centre but on 1 June 2021, even the ticket offices are closing. The fate of the building remains unknown.

Renovated military parcel in Fiumei Róad Cemetary inaugurated Parcel 52 of the National Cemetery is reserved for members of the military who died a hero's death. The newly renovated area was inaugurated on the Day of Hungarian Heroes. During the renovation, the plot was expanded, and new paving stones were laid. Public lighting and benches in the area were replaced and the site relandscaped.

A square took his name before his death – Albert Apponyi was born 175 years ago One of the important squares of Budapest was named after him during his lifetime. One hundred years ago, he was a hero celebrated by the whole country, on whose birthday the people of the capital filled the streets. The nation's lawyer, Albert Apponyi, born 175 years ago. He earned his title with his famous speech in the negotiations leading up to the Treaty of Trianon. Although he was considered one of Hungary's greatest statesman in his life and after his death, communism tried to make people forget him after the war. Not much is reminiscent of the once-respected politician in the Hungarian capital today.

Cannonballs found in the Danube near Chain Bridge Archaeologists have found two medieval carved stone cannonballs in the Danube riverbed. One is so huge that they were unable to bring it to the surface. The projectiles may be from the late Middle Ages. Many other valuable archaeological finds have also been unearthed.

Campaign launched against rats 90 years ago in Budapest A war against rats was launched in the capital in 1931, but a mistake slipped into the thorough and long-planned campaign. Fewer rats died than planned, and there were many "civilian" casualties, like dogs, cats, and birds.

Memorial plaque unveiled on house of Hungarian poet János Pilinszky The Imre Kertész Institute has commemorated János Pilinszky, who died forty years ago and was born a hundred years ago. As the opening of the half-year event series, a memorial plaque was unveiled today at the poet's former home on Izabella Street. Pilinszky's life will be presented at an outdoor exhibition on Benczúr Street.

Renovation of the Pest embankment to on 7 June that of Blaha Lujza Square in early July Two major reconstructions in Budapest will begin this summer. In a week and a half, the renovation of a section of the lower embankment of Pest between Margit Bridge and Parliament will begin. The renovation of Blaha Lujza Square is scheduled to start in July, but according to simpler designs than previously planned.

Metro escalator tested in Hűvösvölgy terminus of the Children's Railway An escalator transported passengers for a few years from May 1956 at the Hűvösvölgy terminus of the Children's Railway. It was built as a kind of test. Its primary purpose was not to ensure the comfort of the passengers on the Children's Railway, then called the Pioneer Railway, but to educate the operators and users. At the time, the Budapest metro was already under construction, and the escalator needed testing too.

Vendors once sold their goods on Csarnok Square in Ferencváros, where shoppers and tourists now relax Although Csarnok (Market Hall) Square in Ferencváros did not exist before 1896, after the opening of the Central Market Hall, a busy life began on the 9th District's smallest, but all the more special square, where hundreds of graves were unearthed during a 2016 hotel construction, highlighting a small detail of the area's vibrant past.

The first statue of Saint Stephen in Budapest was completed in 1906 The statue of Saint Stephen has been standing in Buda Castle next to the Fisherman's Bastion for 115 years. Although the founding king of Hungary has always been highly respected in the country, the great work of Alajos Strobl was completed slowly. The first statue of King Stephen in Budapest was inaugurated in 1906 next to Matthias Church almost 40 years after it was first planned.

Stone column of every station standing on Golgotha Square Fourteen stone statues have already been erected on Golgota Square in Józsefváros. Bronze reliefs depicting the stations of the cross have been placed within them. The restoration of the stations was initiated by the Józsefváros Local Council in 2019 and is being carried out with state funding.

Lutheran church on Deák Square named National Memorial Site The Insula Lutherana in Budapest that is the building complex of the Lutheran church, grammar school and museum on Deák Square has been named a National Memorial Site. Supported by the government, the National Memorial and Remembrance Committee and the Institute of National Heritage, the site was listed as a memorial on 22 May 2021.

Two beautiful gorges on the border of Budapest Places of special beauty can be found everywhere. This time Pestbuda guides its readers to the outskirts of the capital, but that does not detract from their value. The Remete Gorge ('Hermit Gorge') and the Alsó-Jegenye Valley ('Lower Jegenye Valley') attract hundreds and thousands of people on more pleasant weekends. The tour with many attractions can be completed comfortably in a day.

Main building of the Central Bank of Hungary under renovation On the centenary of the founding of the central bank in 2024, the headquarters of the institution will be renovated to their original form on Szabadság Square. The building was built in 1905, its external appearance has not changed since then, but its interiors were significantly remodelled after World War II, undermining its historical value. Now its original beauty will return, inside and out.

The charming boathouses of Római-part have disappeared The Római-part (Roman Beach) was already a popular resting place on the Danube in the 1900s, and it became really popular in the 1920s. The former boathouses tell us about our architectural, sports and cultural-historical values – today mostly only from photographs.

Renovation of Csepel suburban railway to begin in two years The suburban railway line to Csepel will be extended in both directions, and the work will be carried out in several stages. In the first phase – from 2023 – a new terminal will be built in the 21st District on Erdősor Street, in parallel with the modernization of the line from the Kvassay Bridge outwards. In the second phase, the line will be connected to the Ráckeve line at the Public Slaughterhouse and extended underground to Kálvin Square. Implementation of the second phase will begin in 2024 at the soonest.

Winter sports season to be extended on Normafa The 12th District local council has begun preparing the snow cannon investment planned for Normafa. As part of the works, pipes are being laid in the ground, to which the cannons will be connected in the winter. Once completed, lovers of winter sports will be able to use the area for over 3 months each year.

MOME campus development wins international award The MOME Campus building complex has won an award in one of the most prestigious design competitions in the world – the University has announced on its website. The competition awarded works that are characterised by technological innovation, ingenuity and outstanding design.

The Károlyi Palace hosted the country's first large-scale exhibition of applied arts Donations were raised in several places throughout the country to alleviate the damage caused by the floods of February 145 years ago and to help the flood victims. Related to these efforts was the exhibition of applied arts presenting the unique treasures of art, which was organised not in a public collection, but in the palace of Count, Alajos Károlyi built behind the National Museum in May 1876.

New trams heading for Budapest The Budapest Transport Center (BKK) has agreed with the manufacturer of CAF trams. Until mid-May 2022, BKK will be able to call the 51 optional vehicles included in the 2014 contract at the original price.

Most modern boat of the Austro–Hungarian Navy launched 150 years ago The Lajta monitor, one of the most modern warships of its time, was launched 150 years ago, on 17 May 1871. The surviving river boar of the former Austro-Hungarian Navy is now a museum. Its special feature is that the Lajta monitor is the only one in the world from the monitor type river version.

Food kitchens alleviated the misery of the war in Budapest 105 years ago Although World War I did not directly affect the home front, Budapest was not bombed by the enemy like in World War II, but because of the battles, the capital was struggling. In 1916, the state wanted to help. Food kitchens were set up to deliver vegetable dishes and pasta to the poorer quarters of Budapest.

The man who drilled the artesian wells of Budapest - Vilmos Zsigmondy was born 200 years ago Budapest owes a lot to Vilmos Zsigmondy: the enterprising mining engineer was one of the first international experts to successfully extract thermal resources in Hungary. He drilled the artesian well of Margaret Island. The drilling of one of the deepest wells in the world at the time, almost a kilometre away, in City Park, which made it possible to open the Széchenyi Baths, is also connected to his name.

Coins and metal works from the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin found on construction site An excavation is taking place in the 11th District on Rupp Hill. Archaeologists are reviewing the area before construction. Although the site is mainly Roman, valuable objects from other eras have been found; such as medieval coins, metal works from the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin and the foundations of a building from the 2nd or 3rd century.

Café open in Guard House in Royal Palace of Buda Castle The Guard House (Főőrség) building opened on Friday. Visitors are invited to the cafe and an exhibition of the 260-year history of the Hungarian Royal Guards. The building designed by Alajos Hauszmann and built in 1903 originally served as the headquarters of the Palace and Royal Guards.

Construction of blue Metro Line M3 began 50 years ago The development of the Budapest underground network entered a new phase 50 years ago when the construction of the city’s third metro line began. Although the ideas changed a lot and the work planned for 15 years took 20, today’s Metro Line 3 is one of Budapest's most important transport corridors.

Divers to search riverbed near Chain Bridge for bombs and wrecks In connection with the renovation of the Chain Bridge, the Danube riverbed around the bridge will be cleaned. During the work, which is expected to take a month and a half, the river will be surveyed with sonar and divers in the 50-meter vicinity of the bridge. Any unspent ammunition found will be disarmed and pieces of metal removed.