Gyula Andrássy

The young loves of Madách and Petőfi In a voice of unclouded happiness, Imre Madách told his brother about the ball at which he danced with the love of his youth, Menyhért Lónyay's sister, Etelka Lónyay, but the unrequited love did not turn into a proposal. Petőfi had the courage to ask the daughter of a rich banker for her hand in marriage, but she offered it to Menyhért Lónyay. In connection with this year's Madách and Petőfi anniversaries, Pestbuda recalls the loves of youth, offering a glimpse into the world of reform-era balls.

Imre Madách, born 200 years ago, became a writer in Pest The young Imre Madách lived in Pest for three years. While completing his law studies at the University of Pest, he also got involved in social and cultural life. He regularly visited the performances of the Hungarian Theatre of Pest, attended concerts at the National Casino, but the highly educated young man also learned to paint, fence, and play the piano in the capital. His first volume was published here. Pestbuda remembers Imre Madách, who was born 200 years ago.

Merger of Buda, Pest, Óbuda and Margit Island: 150 years ago the city unification law was announced Budapest is one of the most beautifully situated capitals in the world, something Hungarians can be really proud of. It is always nice when a foreigner marvels spectacularly, for example, at the panorama from the Castle. But Hungarians owe these ecstatic expressions not only to the gift of nature but also to the built environment created by our ancestors. Buda and Pest have lived in each other's neighbourhood for centuries, yet their unification provided the impetus that later resulted in so many fantastic buildings on both banks of the Danube. At the end of 1872, after a long history, the parliament passed a law on the merger of the cities, which was approved by the monarch on 22 December 1872 and was announced the next day.

Its construction has caused controversy, today it is one of the most elegant parts of the capital - the Andrássy Avenue One hundred and fifty years ago, on 9 March 1872, the contract was signed, with which the construction of the representative avenue of Pest, Andrássy Avenue, could actually begin. The design of the route strongly divided the public, with many seeing it as a luxury investment serving the needs of the aristocracy. Soon after its opening, it became clear that the result went beyond all gentlemanly whims: it was one of the most important urban development enterprises of the second half of the 19th century.

The Outer Ring Road was inaugurated 125 years ago - Budapest's main road was opened on Hungary's millennium Today, Outer Ring Road is one of the busiest roads in Budapest, lined with beautiful residential houses. Its construction lasted for 25 years, to open it, houses had to be demolished, a railway station had to be moved away, an area had to be filled, but finally, 125 years ago, on 31 August 1896, the Budapest Public Works Council could officially hand it over to the Budapest community.

The migration of the Kossuth statue in front of the Parliament - They wanted to erect the monumental memorial opposite the main entrance of the Parliament The square in front of the Parliament has been called Kossuth Square since 1927, since the statue of the great statesman was inaugurated that year. The designation of its exact location provoked lengthy debates, and the finished work was tentatively erected at several points of the square by the time it reached its final location.

Inspired by the boulevards of Paris - in 1876 the present-day Andrássy Avenue was handed over The traffic between the inner city of Pest and the Városliget went through Király Street for a very long time. The narrow street was very crowded, as not only the normal traffic passed through here, but also those who wanted to go to the Városliget for a little refreshment. The Avenue [Sugárút in Hungarian], officially handed over 145 years ago, in 1876, today's Andrássy Avenue, along which lavish palaces were built in place of the one-storey houses, was made to aid this situation.

One hundred and fifty years ago, the law on the construction of the Outer Ring Road was given royal consent A flood drain, a navigable waterway serving industrial sites, or a more elegant route? In the 19th century, several plans were made for the location of the Outer Ring Road. The issue was closed by law 150 years ago.

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.

Poetry Day Walk - Statues of the greatest Hungarian poets in Budapest On this year's National Poetry Day, 11 April - the birthday of Attila József - the public, community poem readings, which have already become a tradition, were cancelled, and we could not even visit the statues of the greatest Hungarian poets to show our respect and gratitude. Thus, Pestbuda offers only a virtual walk between the works depicting our national greats in Budapest.