News

Royal Palace of Buda Castle reopens with new guided walk and Hauszmann exhibition Cultural life has returned to the Royal Palace. A new, free exhibition entitled The Hauszmann Story presents the rebirth of the Buda Castle District. Visitors are also invited on a spectacular, underground adventure walk as part of the Buda Castle Walks.

Missing inscription to return to the facade of Palace of Justice A Latin inscription once proclaimed the judicial role of the building that stands opposite the Parliament building on Kossuth Square. Until 1949 the Palace of Justice housed the Curia, Hungary's highest court of appeal. The inscription was removed in the 1950s. During the building's renovation and the relocation of the Curia, the original inscription will return after seventy years.

Work continues on Millenáris – Reconstruction of Reception Hall begins The renovation of the Reception Hall and the Main Hall of the former Ganz factory on Millenáris Park has begun. The buildings will host community venues and exhibition spaces. The park will host the Álmo Álmodói – Világraszóló magyarok 2.0 ('Dreamers of Dream – Internationally renowned Hungarians') exhibition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the park's opening.

Budapest is home to one of the oldest veterinary training institutions in Europe The building complex of the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest has been serving Hungarian veterinary training for exactly 140 years. The building complex in Erzsébetváros, located between today's Rottenbiller and Bethlen Streets, was designed by Imre Steindl, decorated with Zsolnay majolica and stained glass by Miksa Róth. On the World Day of Veterinarians, 28 April, PestBuda presents the history and building complex of the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest.

Nagyvásártelep reborn – Winning plans announced A Hungarian architectural firm won the international tender announced for the reconstruction of the Nagyvásártelep area in the 9th District. Designed by Aladár Münnich and built in 1932, the 247-meter-long and 42-meter-wide hall will be reborn as event spaces, sports halls, cafes and clubrooms on three levels, according to the plans of BIVAK Stúdió, as part of the Budapest Diákváros (Student City) development.

Foundations gain ownership of Váry Szabó Mansion and Csillebérc Camp Today, the Parliament passed a bill on the transfer of state real estate. The Foundation for Educational, Cultural and Scientific Education (Polgári Művelődésért, Oktatási, Kulturális és Tudományos Alapítvány) will receive the Váry Szabó Mansion, while the organisers of the Erzsébet Camps will receive the 46 hectare plot of the former Csillebérc Pinoeer Camp.

Reconstruction of the Charity Hospital continues – The new towers are almost ready Reconstruction works underway since 2019 in the Mazsihisz Charity Hospital (Szeretetkórház) have continued with the renovation of block no. 2. The future central building will house outpatient care and a 60-bed rehabilitation department. Work is expected to be finished next year. The new tower of the unique building on Amerikai Road is already visible and will be completed within weeks.

Trees replanted in Csepel The replacement trees in the Csepel Open-Air Baths in underway. The aged, diseased willow trees are being cut down, but have been replaced beforehand. In recent years, Csepeli Városgazda Közhasznú Nonprofit Zrt. has planted forty trees and is planning further afforestation.

Renovated gymnasium to be returned to Árpád Secondary School in Óbuda The renovation of Óbuda Árpád Secondary School's gymnasium is progressing well. Through the investment, the school will regain its former large gymnasium, which was given to the Ottó Bláthy Polytechnic in 1965 and converted into a lecture hall. The school was left with a smaller gymnasium.

Outdoor exhibition at the Military History Museum War correspondent units were established in the Hungarian Royal Army in 1941 to document the war. The Military History Institute and Museum has organised an exhibition of their photographs.

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.

Visitor centre planned for Jókai kert – Steindl Villa to host exhibitions The Jókai Garden and the Steindl Villa on Sváb Hill are to be renovated. The investment is planned to be completed by 2022, and the developers hope that Budapest will be enriched with a popular resting place.

Meggyfa Street playground completed The pavements of the playground on Meggyfa Street have been renovated, the missing elements of the fence replaced, new benches and a drinking fountain have been installed, while new trees and plants were planted in the area.

Nurse housing and training centre to be created in former Budagyöngye Hospital The Budagyöngye Hospital, which closed in 2007, will be renovated. The building will also regain its original function, with a church-run home for nurses and a training centre. Construction work is scheduled to begin next year.

ICOMOS award caring for the Jewish cemetery on Salgótarjáni Street The Hungarian National Committee of ICOMOS awarded the National Heritage Institute for the restoration, maintenance of the Jewish Cemetery on Salgótarjáni Street and its presentation to the public on World Monument Day. The National Heritage Institue was lauded in the Exemplary Monument Care category.

Archaeologists unearth remains of Roman child during dig near Bécsi Road A grave from the late Roman era has been excavated on a construction site near Kolosy Square in Óbuda, in the former cemetery of the Military City Aquincum. The tomb housed the remains of a small child who was once buried with pots and coins, and a headrest made of tiles was placed under his head.

Renders released – Budapest campus of Pázmány Péter University to open in 2027 The campus of the Pázmány Péter Catholic University planned to use the former buildings of the Hungarian Radio will significantly change the cityscape. During the investment, which is expected to be completed by 2027, several significant buildings will be renovated in the area behind the National Museum, such as the Esterházy Palace, which also includes the former Marble Hall of the National Radio and the dilapidated Károlyi Palace. New buildings will also be erected.

Dismantled historic changing cabins at Széchenyi Baths to be rebuilt The restoration of the changing cabins built during the 1927 expansion of the baths, which were demolished without a permit at the beginning of 2020, will be rebuilt.

Statue of Justitia returning to Kossuth Square The 1896 marble statue of the Roman goddess of justice, Justitia, by Alajos Strobl, is returning to its original place after 71 years. The statue is being moved from the building of the Curia on Markó Street to the Palace of Justice opposite the parliament building. The building designed by Alajos Hauszmann on Kossuth Square, which previously housed the Museum of Ethnography, is being returned to the Curia. The palace is thus being renovated, and the facades and monumental interiors will regain their former beauty.

Renovation of Nyugati Railway Station to be completed by September Plaster repairs are currently underway in the Nyugati Railway Station as other parts of the facade are being painted. The doors and windows will be modernised, and the clocks on the glass walls towards Teréz körút and the facade on Eiffel Square will also be renewed. The renovation of the towers towards the track entrance has been completed. The decorative windows have been installed, and the old artificial slate covering has been replaced with a natural anthracite slate. The crown on the boulevard facade of the railway station was also repainted in the same colour as the steel structure of the roof. Passengers will return to the hall in September.

Green space developments to increase in second half of the decade Pestbuda has studies the Budapest Green Infrastructure Development and Maintenance Action Plan recently adopted by the Budapest General Assembly in detail. The document called the Dezső Radó Plan is essentially a summary of the green area developments in Budapest that have previously been decided at a government, district or city level. Several of them have already started and are in progress, and there are some new elements in the recently released plans.

Lanchid renovation – Pedestrian underpass in Pest closed The pedestrian underpass on the pest side of the river bridge will be closed on 16 April. The passage on the Buda sie will remain open until mid-June. Both pedestrian underpasses are to be widened as part of the renovation. While footpaths across the bridge are also closed, buses are free between Clark Ádám Square and Széchenyi Square. The reconstruction of the bridge is planned to last until 2023.

Visible work on exterior of Ministry of Finance building begins The monumental reconstruction of the facade and roof structure of the Ministry of Finance on Szentháromság Square and the restoration of the representative interiors is to begin soon. The building, which will be completed by 2023, will follow the designs Sándor Fellner created.

Construction of metro line 5 begins – First boreholes drilled To prepare the plans for the planned tunnel between Közvágóhíd and Kálvin tér, the Budapest Development Center will start drilling boreholes for soil tests at 93 locations. Work started first on Kálvin Square. The extension of the suburban railway lines to Csepel and Ráckeve to Kálvin tér and the construction of metro line 5 will connect the southern parts of Budapest to the city centre more efficiently.

Klauzal Square to be renovated with Ghetto memorial The 7th District Local Council has announced a design tender for a public memorial to be erected on the renovated Klauzál Square. The future memorial site planned to be inaugurated in 2022 will memorialise the Pest ghetto, which once included Klauzal Square.

Zsolnay fireplace in Saint Stephen's Hall now being built The largest Zsolnay fireplace in the country, weighing nearly one and a half tons, is now being built in the Saint Stephen's Hall of the Royal Palace of Buda Castle. Hungarian artisans, including representatives of disappearing crafts, took part in the re-creation of the 611-piece ceramic fireplace. The historical hall will be open to the public on August 20.

Budapest may become World Book Capital for the 150th anniversary of the unification of Buda and Pest Budapest will submit a bid for the title of World Book Capital 2023 to UNESCO on 15 April. In the event of a successful application, cultural programs promoting books and reading will be organised throughout Budapest for a year.

Fence of Bethesda Children’s Hospital transformed into books The fence of Bethesda Children's Hospital has been recreated: the previously grey concrete elements overlooking Hungária Boulevard have been repainted. The fence is now reminiscent of a huge bookshelf with many colourful children's books, from classics to contemporary authors.

Jókai Square in Terézváros to be renovated Jókai Square in the 6th District will be renovated over the summer. An orderly park is planned with a reading corner, pergola and lots of seating. Plants and flower beds are to be planted, and a stage will be added to host cultural events.