Budapest

Central Bank of Hungary to issue commemorative coin in honour of Saint Stephen The Central bank of Hungary has launched a new series of commemorative coins entitled "The Kings of the Áprád Dynasty that built a nation." A coin issued in honour of Saint Stephen will be the most valuable, with a face value of 500.000 HUF.

The eight-month miracle – Kossuth Bridge completed from scraps 75 years ago Previous articles on PestBuda have detailed how the retreating German forces destroyed all Danube bridges in Budapest. After the war, a series of temporary structures were erected to connect the battle-torn city’s two halves. However, it was obvious that a somewhat permanent structure would be needed. The result was Kossuth Bridge.

Renovated Nursery opens in Terézváros The Patrona Hungariae Nursery has been opened following a complete renovation and expansion. The nursery at 65 Szondi Street in the 6th District has been made accessible for those with limited mobility, while new group and development rooms have been created on the newly added upper floor. The internal courtyard was also renovated with new toys and plants.

Sixty-five years ago an earthquake shook Budapest Recent earthquakes in Croatia have caused more than 100 million HUF damage in Hungary, while some tremors have even been felt in Budapest. Earthquakes are not extremely common in the Carpathian Basin but do occur sporadically. One of the largest recorded tremors in Hungary, which also led to the loss of life, happened on the outskirts of Budapest 65 years ago, in January 1956.

Cars to be barred from City Park – Heroes Square to become pedestrian zone Officials announced that plans to create a car-free City Park are being prepared. A new overpass will be built above the Rákosrendező railway station to connect Zugló and Angyalföld. A new P+R car park, with 1500 spaces, is to be built at the terminus of the Millennium Underground at Mexikói Road.

Bulgarian community in Budapest renounces right to use property on Bajza Street in return for state funding The Hungarian state is providing 2,6 Billion HUF of funding, and the Bulgarian state 350 million HUF of support towards the construction of the new Centre of Bulgarian Culture on Vágóhíd Street in Ferencváros. In return for the state aid, the community will renounce its right to use a property on Bajza Street in the 6th District. The new cultural centre will be completed within two or three years.

Shop assistants with subscriptions to hairdressers – The Kálvin Square department store The department store is one of Kálvin Square's defining buildings and stands on a plot that once housed a school operated by the Reformed Church. In the interwar years, the city knew the shop as the Fenyvess Department Store. And while it only bore the name for 25 years, many remember the name to this day.

Further sections of ancient settlements found along Rákos Stream Archaeologists have found traces of wooden houses from the late Bronze Age, built 3300 years ago, in the 14th district. Wooden remains, ceramic artefacts and a pendant have been unearthed during the excavation.

Oldest working butcher shop in Budapest shuts down One of Budapest's oldest and most beautiful butcher shops at 29 Mester Street closed its doors on 31 December.

A funeral gave life to the bridge that created Budapest Two hundred years ago, a younger Hungarian hussar officer made a rather reckless statement to a friend. His words had many consequences and changed the lives of many forever. The officer, in fact, was only in a hurry to reach his father's funeral.

Former tram terminus in Zugliget to be renovated The former tram terminus at Zugliget is to be renovated as part of the Normafa Park Program, with additional funding provided by the government. A new skating rink will be added to the complex.

Rebirth: Historic palace at 47 Andrássy Avenue restored The building has housed one of the most beautiful cafes in Budapest, a casino, a pharmacy, a glove shop and a car dealership. Until recently, the building that once housed Café Palermo was a black sheep on Andrássy Avenue, but the era of real-estate related corruption and degradation has come to an end. Standing on the corner of Liszt Ferenc Square and Andrássy Avenue, the building currently hidden by a safety net, which hides the luxury apartments being built as part of the restoration.

CNN lists House of Hungarian Music among most anticipated buildings of 2021 CNN has listed the House of Hungarian Music being built in City Park as one of the most anticipated buildings of 2021 globally. The structure will serve as a museum, event venue and educational centre.

A dream of the Reform Period – A tunnel to run through Castle Hill Even when building Chainbridge the builders knew, the Buda bridgehead is in the wrong place, a point which is difficult to reach with a cart or carriage. A solution was needed, but Castle Hill stood in the way. Eventually, a company was founded to break through the hill 175 years ago.

Ruins opened on Szent György Square in Buda Castle A section of the previously closed ruins of what was once the royal stables have been opened to visitors in Buda Castle. The green areas and flowerbeds, and paving of Szent György Square has also been renewed.

Szentlélek Square to be transformed – Pavilions to be demolished at entrance to Óbuda A transportation hub of the 3rd District is to be renewed. The neglected buildings are to be removed and the square redesigned to fit its historical setting.

Leopold Rottenbiller – Three-term Lord Mayor of Pest Leopold Rottenbiller is one of the most unjustly forgotten politicians of Budapest's history, even though a major road bears the name of the urban leader to this day. He served as the Lord Mayor of Pest for three terms, and not in periods of growth, construction and peace. Despite this, Rottenbiller kept the city working. His second term began 160 years ago.

Hidden natural treasures of Budapest – The Jane Goodall Trail Jane Goodall, the internationally respected conservationist, environmentalist and researcher, has visited Hungary several times. However, few know that an educational trail bears her name in Budapest, and is worth a visit for everyone who lives in the city. It can be found on the outskirts of the 2nd District, in Pesthidegkút. But what did Goodall do in the area?

A lookout in the works – Medieval István Tower the inspiration behind tower of the National Archives The National Hauszmann Program recently announced that the destroyed tower of the National Archives' building in Buda Castle would be rebuilt during the building's renovation. Join Pestbuda on a stroll through the history of this iconic tower.

Offices of National Assembly to be renovated Also known as the White House, the Offices of the Member of the National Assembly are to be renovated. The Office of the National Assembly has issued a public procurement tender for the planning of the renovation of the office building at 19 Széchenyi Embankment.

Foundation of Central Bank of Hungary buys building of the former Burg Hotel in Buda Castle The former state-owned building of Burg Hotel on Szentháromság Square in the 1st District will be purchased by the Pallas Athéné Domus Meriti Foundation of the Central Bank of Hungary. The hotel closed in 2019, and the building has been vacant ever since.

A green promenade instead of tracks – Improved suburban rail for Budapest The suburban railway (HÉV) lines to Csepel, Ráckeve and Szentendre, are to be completely renovated. Trains will be faster, tracks and stations rebuilt, and new, accessible, air-conditioned trains will be purchased. In the first phase of the development, the HÉVs will enter a tunnel at Közvágóhíd ('public slaughterhouse') station and run to Kalvin Square with a stop at Boráros Square. The tracks will disappear from the riverbank allowing for the creation of a cohesive new park promenade.

Fifty years ago large-scale plans to redesign Józsefváros were born Various plans to redesign the inner sections of Józsefváros and replace the out-dated kitchen and room flats built at the end of the 19th century were floated decades ago. Fifty years ago the Budapest Council adopted a large-scale plan to demolish 3,400 flats. By the time the district already had mixed experiences of how the city centre could be rehabilitated.

Botanical path named after István Fekete opens on Kis-Hárs Hill The popular Hungarian writer, the best-known author of forester-ranger-themed literature, István Fekete, was born 120 years ago and died 50 years ago. A nearly 800-metre-long István Fekete botanical educational trail has been built to commemorate this double anniversary, stretching from Széher Road in the 2nd District to the Hárs Hill saddle.

Statue of Attila József unveiled on Kossuth Square 40 years ago A few years ago, the temporary removal of the Attila József statue – erected in 1980 on the site of the former Andrássy monument – from Kossuth Square due to the area's renovation caused an enormous uproar. Many believed that the work had been removed permanently. But a few months later, the statue was on Kossuth Square again. Although it was not put back in its original place, many say it found a better place only a few metres away, on the riverbank.

Statue of Alfred Hajós planned for Margit Island A tender has been announced for the creation of a statue of Alfred Hajós. The sculpture will be erected on Margit Island, which is connected to Alfred Hajós's intellectual and professional heritage.

An enchanted world at your fingertips – A hike to Mária Gorge A small area on the edge of Budapest has almost been forgotten and never was among the city's best-known areas. The Virgin Mary has been considered a patron saint of Hungary since 1038, when King Saint Stephen, who died without an heir, offered the nation into her protection after his son's death. Hungary has often been referred to as Regnum Marianum in Latin sources ever since, and countless toponyms (place names) including Mary, Mária in Hungarian, have formed. However, only two of these are rock formations. One of these stands on Budapest's present-day border (the other in the Békás /Bicăjel/ Strait in Transylvania).

Dining car used by Miklós Horthy to be displayed in Museum of Transport The dining car of the train used by Governor Miklós Horthy, Turán 9, has been returned to Hungary. The dilapidated vehicle will be restored by Hungarian Museum of Science, Technology and Transportation staff.

When panel housing defined urban development Forty-five years ago, in the last days of 1975, a new urban planning regulation was adopted in Budapest. The purpose of the provision was to provide an appropriate framework for the construction or housing estates and urban development, while also designating development zones and the number of buildings to be erected.