The Bridge Report, which brought a turning point in the history of Budapest
A travel report that changed the history of Pest and Buda, as well as Hungary. The little book contributed to the change of half a thousand years of legal customs and the implementation of an investment of unprecedented size and technical quality. This book was The Bridge Report [Hídjelentés in Hungarian].
Múltidéző
Air Parade in 1912 - When people had to pay to see the air show
August 27, 2022 at 11:32 AM
The air parade on 20 August of this year was cancelled, although the air shows on St. Stephen's Day now have a history of 110 years in Budapest. The first air show on 20 August was held in 1912, with the same purpose as today: to demonstrate the skills of the pilot and to show the capabilities of the aircraft. People had to pay for the big and spectacular event at the time, but it turned out afterwards that the spectators would have expected more for their money.
The establishment of the Pest Casino
August 25, 2022 at 11:28 AM
One of István Széchenyi's first creations was the Pest Casino, which was a kind of leisure club with cultural and economic development goals. The Pest Casino was opened 195 years ago, on 20 August 1827.
A ceremony in Pest 180 years ago: the laying of the foundation stone of the Chain Bridge
August 24, 2022 at 11:24 AM
The foundation stone of the Chain Bridge is located under the bridgehead in Pest. It was laid down 180 years ago, on the afternoon of 24 August 1842, and the entire "elite" of that time was represented at the ceremony. The foundation stone laying ceremony was a carefully composed celebration, where it was also stipulated which guest would carry the decorative trowel or the hammer for the symbolic blows.
The first building of the National Theatre was handed over 185 years ago - the County of Pest embraced the cause of Hungarian-language plays
August 22, 2022 at 11:10 AM
It opened as the Hungarian Theatre of Pest 185 years ago, on 22 August 1837, but three years later it was already operating as the National Theatre. The first permanent Hungarian-language theatre was made possible by the support of the County of Pest and the generous donation of Prince Antal Grassalkovich. The building was located at today's 3 Rákóczi Road, it was first built around and expanded, then closed and demolished in 1908.
Guardians of the Holy Crown - the Hungarian Royal Crown Guard was established 150 years ago
August 20, 2022 at 11:02 AM
At first, the church, then selected lords, and later a regular organization guarded the symbol of Hungarian statehood, the Holy Crown. First, Maria Theresa created the Hungarian Royal Crown Guard to guard the crown, but it was later dissolved by her son Joseph II in the spirit of enlightenment. After nearly a hundred years, in 1872, Franz Joseph established the Crown Guard again, which fulfilled its task until 1945, the end of the Second World War.
The Planetarium opened 45 years ago
August 18, 2022 at 10:44 AM
The Planetarium is currently not operating in Budapest, as the building, which opened on 20 August 1977, has simply fallen into disrepair, and the projector is fatally outdated. The renovation has been delayed for years.
The silent laying of the foundation stone of the Parliament
August 15, 2022 at 10:11 AM
The Hungarian Parliament is one of the most beautiful parliament buildings in the world. The massive house, designed by Imre Steindl, began to be built in 1885, and the foundation stone was laid almost two years later, without much celebration.
When Rókus Hospital was almost demolished
August 14, 2022 at 7:00 PM
150 years ago, the Pest council discussed the idea of demolishing the Rókus Hospital. The plan was not born from the regression of healthcare, but rather from its development. The city fathers wanted a new, more modern hospital elsewhere.
The first Hungarian railway was built 195 years ago - the special structure delivered construction materials from Kőbánya
August 12, 2022 at 6:55 PM
The first Hungarian railway line led from today's Pest to Kőbánya. The 7.6-kilometeresection, built in 1827 and realized with a special technical solution, was not profitable, and was discontinued after 7 months.
A forgotten occupation: water sellers on the streets of Pest and Buda
August 11, 2022 at 6:47 PM
Water is a basic necessity for life, so its significance has been extremely important in all ages. Today it is natural that water flows from the tap, but in the past this was not the case, water was also brought to the houses by vendors so that people could wash, cook, clean themselves, and most importantly, drink. In the 19th century, Pest and Buda began to develop significantly, the local wells and sources could no longer fully satisfy the needs, so water sellers appeared who measured their portage for money.
Many people in Budapest were afraid of the polio vaccine, but in the end they managed to defeat the disease
August 8, 2022 at 3:47 PM
The polio epidemic took its toll in several waves in many parts of the country in the 1950s. The first vaccination campaign in Budapest and the country took place 65 years ago, at the end of July and beginning of August, 1957. But in the capital, far fewer people vaccinated their children than elsewhere, because many were afraid of vaccination. People finally managed to defeat this terrible viral disease.
They wanted to call the first suspension bridge in Pest the István Bridge, eventually it was called Dróthíd (Wire Bridge)
August 9, 2021 at 3:00 PM
Wire bridge. It’s a strange name, though that’s how the little bridge, which was handed over 195 years ago, on 9 August1826, in the Városliget, near today’s George Washington statue, was called. The small footbridge was a new technology at the time, as it was a cable bridge and the first suspension bridge in Pest.
Changing Chains – 12 elements of Chain Bridge to be modified during reconstruction
June 16, 2021 at 11:30 AM
Chain Bridge has been completely closed, and its renovation has begun in earnest. The 172-year-old bridge has been remodelled several times, first in 1914-1915, then it was rebuilt after World War II, and most recently, it underwent major renovations in the second half of the 1980s. So now the iconic structure of the capital is being renewed again. But what work will be done on the Chain Bridge over the next two years?
A bridge of legends – Mythbusting the stories about Chain Bridge
January 23, 2021 at 3:00 PM
The lions have always had tongues, and the bridge is not a copy of another structure in England, not was it named after Széchenyi in 1899. There are several urban legends about Budapest’s oldest permanent river crossing, and some have even made their way into professional writing, despite being untrue. Join Pestbuda on an adventure to separate fact from fiction and uncover unique facts about this outstanding, unparalleled structure in Budapest, Chain Bridge.
A forgotten bridge on the Danube – Many forget the second road bridge under construction in Budapest
January 19, 2021 at 9:00 AM
Two bridges are being built as part of the Galvani Bridge development project. The cable-stayed structure spanning the main Danube branch has been discussed in detail but the other bridge planned to cross the Soroksár branch of the river has almost been forgotten, despite being a major and beautiful piece of infrastructure.
Budapest Christmases of old
December 19, 2020 at 9:00 AM
What did festive preparations look like in the Belle Époque and the decades following the first world war? Join PestBuda on a glance through Christmases of the past based on old newspaper articles and photos from Budapest's olden days.
New bridge may be built near Aquincum
December 9, 2020 at 10:00 AM
The Budapest Transport Centre has begun preparations for the construction of a new bridge which would connect Aquincum in Óbuda with Újpest.
The charitable doctor – 150th anniversary of László Batthyány-Strattmann's birth
November 12, 2020 at 9:00 AM
The Batthyány family has given Hungary many excellent soldiers, politicians and scientists. Among them, Dr László Batthyány-Strattmann stands out with his dedication and love for humanity. As an ophthalmologist, he spent all his wealth, time and energy treating the poor. Pope John Paul II beatified the prince in 2003.
Sixty years of articulated buses in Budapest
November 6, 2020 at 9:00 AM
There were not enough buses in the Budapest of the 1950s, and those that were in use were too small. Decision-makers expected a quick solution from Ikarus but the Hungarian bus manufacturer only promised to offer a large articulated bus in the middle of the 1960s. The Budapest bus workshop was unwilling to wait. They built over 300 articulated buses themselves.
Three US Presidents remembered in Budapest
November 3, 2020 at 9:00 AM
The United States is electing a new president. As the world follows events across the Atlantic, take a stroll through the US-related buildings and monuments in Budapest.
More articles
The Bridge Report, which brought a turning point in the history of Budapest
A travel report that changed the history of Pest and Buda, as well as Hungary. The little book contributed to the change of half a thousand years of legal customs and the implementation of an investment of unprecedented size and technical quality. This book was The Bridge Report [Hídjelentés in Hungarian].
Drama on the university wall - The heroic monument was planned 95 years ago
In the constant hustle and bustle of the Egyetem Square in Pest, the students may not even notice the monument that decorates the short section of wall between the church and the central building of ELTE. However, it commemorates their predecessors, the heroes who fought for their country in World War I, and those who heroically helped them. The first design of the dramatically collapsing soldier was born in 1928, ninety-five years ago.
A message from the former school: An exhibition in memory of János Neumann was opened at the Fasori Secondary School
An exhibition was opened in János Neumann's former school, the Fasori Lutheran Secondary School, on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the world-famous mathematician's birth. In the exhibition presenting the former Neumann milieu, paintings, graphics, photos, furniture, and objects tell the story of the art-supporting spirit of the noble bourgeois family at the turn of the century.