National Hauszmann Program

Six months to go – Saint Stephen's Hall ever closer to (re)completion On 20 August, the first reconstructed ornate hall of the Royal Palace of Buda Castle will open to the public. Saint Stephen's Hall has the most lavish representative space of the turn of the century, housing several unique artistic and applied artistic solutions. The structure of the rebuilt Southern Connecting Wing of the Royal Palace is now complete, internal work will begin in the coming days.

Reconstruction of the former Red Cross headquarters on Dísz Square to begin in 2021 Designed by Alajos Hauszmann and Dezső Hültl, the palace once housed the Red Cross Society, and then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The representative spaces of the palace, torn down after World War II, and its façade will be rebuilt according to the original plans. Other areas will be reimagined for the modern age.

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.

Castle walls and walkways being renovated in Buda Castle The restoration of the parks and walls of Buda Castle is continuing with work to renovate the retaining walls and walkways throughout the Palace. The elegant historical gardens will regain their former elegance.

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.

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.

Ornaments being added to facade of Southern Connecting Wing of the Royal Palace The reconstruction of the Southern Connecting Wing of the Royal Palace of Buda Castle, including one of its most magnificent rooms, St. Stephen's Hall, is progressing as intended. Ornaments resembling the facade's original decorations are currently being added to the exterior walls. Meanwhile, the beautiful floor coverings of St. Stephen's Hall are also being carved. Plans are to open the building to the public on 20 August 2021.

Iconic tower of National Archives in Buda Castle to be rebuilt The tower of the Hungarian National Archives, designed by Samu Pecz and completed in 1918, is to be rebuilt in Buda Castle. The tower was blown up in 1945 to avoid necessary post-war repairs. Furthermore, a new wing will be added to the building, which was not built a hundred years ago due to a lack of funding.

Plans to restore Habsburg Gate and Turul statue in Buda Castle announced Renovation of the Royal Palace's neo-baroque style gate in Buda Castle and the surrounding castle walls will begin soon. The Turul statue in the are will also be restored.

Fehérvári Roundel and Western Gardens of Buda Castle to be renovated, new parking garage planned The Fehérvári Roundel and its surroundings are to be demolished and rebuilt to its original size in Buda Castle. One of the main goals of the National Hauszmann Program is to allow visitors to Buda Castle to explore the Castle District by walking around it on its walls. The Fehérvári Roundel plays a major role in enabling this. Following the reconstruction, a previously closed section of the western castle wall will be opened, connecting the roundel to Csikós Courtyard. The western gardens will be revitalised to evoke the vineyards and orchards that once surrounded Budavár. Várgarázs III. will meanwhile further reduce the number of cars parked in the Castle.

Masterpieces with a view – A visit to the Royal Palace of Buda Castle A few secrets from Buda Castle: there is no gas in the building for security reasons; thus, the whole complex is connected to district heating. The current dome reaches higher than the original planned by Alajos Hauszmann. At the turn of the century, the length of the connecting halls facing the river was matched only by Versailles. Pestbuda visited the building before pandemic-related limits on events entered into force, as part of a guided tour offered within the Budai Várséták ('walks in Buda Castle') series of the National Hauszmann Program.

A bird's eye view of the Royal Palace of Buda Castle A unique drone shot of the reconstructed building of Buda Castle has been released. After a close view of the newly restored Mátyás Fountain, turning to the Main Guardhouse and its charismatic café, to fly over and into the newly completed Riding hall. After a close examination of the building's details, the shots swoops past the Csikós Statue.

Hungarian coat of arms on Ybl retaining wall restored The Ybl Retaining Wall below the Csikós Courtyard in Buda Castle is currently being renovated. The Hungarian national coat of arms decorated with the Holy Crown of Hungary is now visible on a renewed section of the wall.