Citadel

Master of Romanticism Hugó Máltás passed away 100 years ago Hugó Máltás is one of our lesser-known architects, even though he had an extremely long career and life: he died at the age of ninety-four, in 1922. The fact that his name did not enter the public consciousness can be attributed to his much more busy contemporaries, primarily Miklós Ybl. However, Máltás also designed quite a lot, especially during the period of Romanticism. A summary of his works is presented below.

A section of the wall of the Citadel, which is under renovation, has already been completed The nearly 10,000 square meter wall surface of the Citadel is being renovated, the first restored wall section can already be seen on the northern side of the rondella. The white limestones from Süttő and the carved red limestones from Tardos were covered with a special layer to make them durable. The completed wall section will soon be followed by the reconstruction of the entire Danube facade of the Citadel and then the Buda facade of the fortress.

Fortress over the city - The true history of the Citadel and common misconceptions A foreign tourist may not even believe that Gellért Hill was not created by human hands. Towering in the middle of the city, it offers stunning views, so the idea that it was built for tourism may be obvious. Yet it is a gift of nature, and the view could be used not only for pleasure but also for military purposes. This justified the construction of a fortress on the hilltop called the Citadel. The building will be completely reborn thanks to the Várkapitányság, we now have the opportunity to see the work in progress.

The country’s largest flag was hoisted at the Renewing Citadel On 15 March, the largest national flag of Hungary was hoisted on the Citadel, which is under renovation. The 72-square-foot flag will adorn the capital’s iconic building day and night.

The pedestrian underpass and stairs of the Gellért Hill cable car can be built The company responsible for the development received a permit for the construction of the tunnel leading to the station of the future Gellért Hill cable car and the stairs leading to Hegyalja road. With this, the construction of the cable car to the Citadel, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, has taken another step closer to completion.

The construction of the Gellért Hill cable car received an environmental permit The construction of the planned cable car on Gellért Hill received the environmental permit. The permit emphasizes that the works must comply with a number of nature protection regulations and world heritage protection requirements.

Ferenc Novák designed first an electric cogwheel railway and then a hydraulic funicular on Gellért Hill In the last decade of the 19th century, architect Ferenc Novák presented to the public the plan of the Gellért Hill funicular, which was connected with the intention to demolish the Citadel. According to Novák's idea, not only a funicular would have been built on Gellért Hill, but also a lookout, an illuminated statue and the National Pantheon as a millennium monument. The architect would have built first an electric cogwheel railway and then a hydraulic funicular, for which he also received permits. Yet his dream did not come true.

A new Citadel rises – Parks and terraces for visitors After the archaeological excavations, the reconstruction of the Citadel and its immediate surroundings has begun. Design renders show that the walls of the former fortress are to be opened in several places. New lookout terraces and will be created in the fortress and courtyard. The investment will be completed by 2023.

Citadel renovation to create 1500 square-metre exhibition space Several lifts, a pool, a 1,500-square-metre exhibition space and a twenty-metre flagpole will also be installed in the Citadel as a part of the current reconstruction, which will see the walls and gardens of the structure completed in 1854 completely renewed. The work will be carried out by the consortium of ZÁÉV and Market Zrt. for 14.8 billion HUF.

The future of the Citadel seen from the sky A unique drone video is giving viewers a sneak peek into the future of the Citadel. The dilapidated fortress on the top of Gellért Hill will soon be renovated. Its outer walls, courtyard and cannon tower will be restored. The new public park will open in 2022, and an exhibition entitled "Bastion of Freedom" showcasing the Hungarian nation's struggles for independence will open in 2023, housed in the old cannon tower.

Ruins of observatory found on Gellért hill Archaeological excavations are happening in preparation of the renovation of the Citadel. Around the fortification, the ruins of the observatory that once stood on Gellért Hill but was destroyed in 1867 have been found. The dig team has also confirmed the find of a First World War gun carriage, Celtic, Roman, and Ottoman Turkish coins. The renovation of the courtyard is set to begin soon, accompanied by the restoration on the outer walls.

A neglected landmark – A walk on Gellért Hill Despite it being a symbol of Budapest, a popular walking destination, and a nature reserve in the city's heart, Gellért Hill has been neglected for decades. Unfortunately, the situation is beyond slight renovation – a complete replanning and reconstruction are needed.