Gyula Sándy

A little Transylvania on the edge of Budapest - Lutheran churches of Rákosmente The tiny Rákos Stream flowing through the edge of Pest gave its name to a series of quarters in the 16th and 17th Districts, including Rákosliget, Rákoskeresztúr, Rákosszentmihály, Rákoscsaba and Rákoshegy. There is also a great similarity in their built environment, they show a rural, small-town image. Moreover, they also share a high degree of similarity between their evangelical churches: they are reminiscent of Transylvanian fortified churches.

The Lutheran church in Kispest is 95 years old The name of the Templom (Church) Square in Kispest is eloquent, as three denominations also built their churches in this beautiful place: the Catholic, the Reformed and the Lutheran. The latter is the newest, although it is no longer young, since it was inaugurated on 22 May 1927, just ninety-five years ago. The special shape of its tower faithfully reflects the approach of the age of its construction, and its interior reflects Lutheran traditions.

Colourful memento about a brilliant architect - The Postal Palace became the main work of Gyula Sándy Finding and viewing pieces of the architectural heritage of a city with a long history is an eternal tourist hit. Budapest stands out in this area mostly with the legacy of dualism and the two world wars: almost everyone have encountered the names of Miklós Ybl, Imre Steindl or Ödön Lechner, but if we dig deeper, it is impossible to list how many undeservedly lesser-known talents contributed to the decoration of the Hungarian capital. The building of the Buda Postal Palace, which adorns the south-western side of Széll Kálmán Square, is also connected to such a genius: a remarkable volume came out this year about Gyula Sándy's life and work, both from a professional and a layman's point of view.

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.

Two Faces of a Building - The Heinrich Courtyard in Józsefváros On the opposite side of Üllői Road, opposite the Museum of Applied Arts, stands a neo-baroque tenement house, built by the iron merchant Ferenc Heinrich. Not far from it, and in the neighbouring Mária Street, lies the long facade of an Art Nouveau warehouse. One would not even think that the two had anything to do with each other, however, both were built by the Heinrich iron merchant family. The latter was completed by 1912, meaning it could begin to be filled with goods a hundred and ten years ago.

Once a world-famous factory in Budapest, now a hardly known company - The Hungarian Optical Works Just 100 years ago, in 1922, the Süss Nándor Institute of Precision Mechanics and Optics PLC was named after its founder. It was the plant which later became one of the largest and world-famous factory in Budapest. The factory, which has been operating under the name Hungarian Optical Works since 1939, once dominated the area around Csörsz Street, but today, only the name MOM, and the community centre reminds us to the former factory.

It was once a famous ice rink in Buda, today it is one of the busiest junctions in the country Ice skating is one of the most popular winter sports done by many in Budapest. Few people know, but one of the busiest junctions in the country, Széll Kálmán Square, was once home to a famous and very popular ice rink in Buda with a huge, richly decorated skating hall. By the end of the 1930s, the square had been completely transformed and today we only have pictures and stories of the former famous skating rink and sports fields in Buda.

The Money Museum in the former Postal Palace will be completed by March In the middle of March, the Hungarian Money Museum and Visitor Center will open its doors in the former Postal Palace on Széll Kálmán Square. During the interior renovation of the building, designed by Gyula Sándy and erected between 1924 and 1926, the specially developed railings of the staircases and the oak gates decorated with wrought-iron handles were restored, and the paternoster was preserved in working order.

The last stop of a renovation program: the handover of the Széll Kálmán Square gateway Széll Kálmán Square has undergone huge changes in recent years and although we have become accustomed to the modern environment, the renovation program actually ended only on Thursday: the gateway connecting the square with Krisztina Boulevard was handed over. The passage was short, but the construction was all the more complicated. Still, it was worth it, as it is another, very big step towards an accessible Budapest.

The pentagon of the Buda bank of the Danube - Pestbuda visited the completely renovated church of Szilágyi Dezső Square The Szilágyi Dezső Square Reformed Church was taken over by the faithful on Palm Sunday of 1896, so this year it celebrated the 125th anniversary of its construction. The Parish kept track of the anniversary and two years ago began the interior renovation of the building, which was largely completed in March. Due to the month of architecture - and as the Reformation Day approaches - Pestbuda was able to see what the new interior became like.

A decades-old plan comes to life – A tunnel connecting Széll Kálmán Square with Városmajor The construction of the new pedestrian crossing connecting Széll Kálmán Square with the Postapalota (Postal Palace) and Városmajor started last autumn, the two ends of which met under Várfok Street almost a month ago. The tunnel, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, will not only provide an unobstructed passage for pedestrians and cyclists in the area to Városmajor but will also create a new entrance to the former Postapalota, also known as the Buda Palace.