PestBuda

Graves from the Ottman-era and medieval walls found on Margit Boulevard A cemetery from the Ottoman-era has been found during excavation under 19–21 Margit Boulevard. Archaeologists are now searching for the walls of the houses of Felhévíz.

Vigadó of Buda and a family house in Hűvösvölgy named Houses of the Year The winners of the House of the Year competition have been announced. The renovation of the Vigadó of Buda won accolades in the public building category, while a family home in Hűvösvölgy one in the house category.

A place of secrets – A visit to the garden of the National Museum The Night of Artefacts was held this week in Budapest, Between 17–19 September. As part of the event, a walk entitled The Secrets of the Museum Garden was led by Béla Debreczeni-Droppán in the garden of the National Museum.

Reflective sculptures placed on Corvin Promenade A group of reflecting sculptures has been erected in the courtyard of an office building on Corvin Promenade as a result of a competition for young artists. The winner was selected from twenty-two entries with the cooperation of the University of Fine Arts.

A Garden for Kings – The oldest trees of Buda Castle each have a story to tell Standing mementoes of the lost glory of royal gardens the old trees of Buda hold something of the Castle's history. The Japanese pagoda trees, fruit-bearing fig-trees, stunning oaks, lindens and planetrees, or mulberry trees from a time when Hungary produced silk, all have stories to tell. But they do need some help...

Old building of the University of Physical Education being demolished The demolition of the university building on Alkotás Street began recently, as the development of the campus enclosed by Alkotás street – Győri Road – Kis János Altábornagy Road continues. The new campus will offer students and educators a proper university environment to work and study in.

Life underground – Significant population of Pest and Buda lived in cellars before the unification of the cities A census was conducted in Hungary in 1870, 150 years ago. It paints a stunning picture of Buda a Pest before the two cities were unified. Barely 200,000 people lived on the Pest side, and nearly 54 thousand on the Buda side. 15-thousand people lived in cellars, and 13,000 shared their rooms with at least ten other people. The census details how many doctors, writers, teachers lived in the cities, as well as how many unmarried or divorced women called the city home. Two centenarians lived in the city that was experiencing a massive development boom. It was a unique time, in which poverty and grandeur coexisted, and when the Renaissance revival homes so loved to this day were built.

The most Hungarian Habsburg moved to Buda 225 years ago Eventually serving as Palatine of Hungary for over 50 years, the young prince being raised in Florence would never have been expected to later be known as the Most Hungarian Habsburg. Palatine Joseph was only 19 when he moved to Budapest with much ceremony 225 years ago. He settled in the country, lived here with his wife and children, died here and was buried in the crypt of the Royal Palace in Buda Castle. His popularity was founded on the attention he paid to the prosperity of Buda and Pest.

Danube, Tisza, Drava, Sava – Beautiful fountain in Budapest city centre to be renovated A beautiful fountain can be found in the centre of Budapest. Designed by Miklós Ybl, it depicts what were once the four largest rivers of Hungary: the Danube, the Tisza, the Drava and the Sava. Originally erected on Kalvin Square in 1883 it was severely damaged in the Second World War. A copy of the fountain and its statues were later erected on Erzsébet Square. Sadly, these were damaged, not by armed conflict but simply passers-by, leading to the foot of the Sava figure being broken off – a fault that will also be repaired with the complete renovation of the fountain.

New headquarters of the Imre Kertész institute completed The renovation of the Art Nouveau palace under 46 Benczúr Street has been completed. The building will serve as the headquarters of the Imre Kertész Institute which manages the literary legacy of the Noble laureate, and János Sziveri, and parts of the legacies of Arthur Koestler, György Petri and János Pilinszky.

Renovated Heart of Jesus Church blessed in Városmajor The renovation of the Heart of Jesus Church in Városmajor has been completed. The façade, interior and roof structure were replaced during the reconstruction. Designed by Aladár Árkay, the church served as a hall of worship for ten years and later became a scene of local community life.

Once a miracle of the National Millennium it was covered by graffiti a hundred years later Built under only 20 months, the first of its kind on the continent and tried by the King. The Millennium Underground Railway, commonly known as the kisföldalatti "small underground" may be Budapest's most likeable means of public transport. It most recent major renovation was finished 25 years ago.

Masses flocked to see the Concorde that landed at Ferihegy The Concorde may be the most impressive passenger aircraft ever created. Flying at twice the speed of sound, it could cross the Atlantic in only three hours. These miracles of a machine visited Budapest several times. The first landed at Ferihegy 35 years ago on 14 September 1985.

Several weakened trees to be felled in Budapest Urban trees require constant care. As part of urban tree care in September, several dangerous, ill and weakened trees will be cut down and new saplings planted in their places. Complete tree-lined streets will be renewed in Wekerletelep in Kispest.

New synagogue opened in Buda New synagogue opened at the Alma Street orthodox Jewish Retirement Home in the 12th District

Square named after Vilma Hugonnai in Józsefváros The previously unnamed square that houses the monument to the doctors that died in World war I, in front of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Semmelweis University, has been named after Vilma Hugonnai, the first female Hungarian doctor.

Building of the communications authority to be expanded on Visegrádi Street The building complex of the National Media and Info-communication Authority is to be expanded with a new multifunctional wing. The five-story building with three floors underground and two above road level will house offices, meeting rooms, a high-capacity data centre and an event hall.

A visit to Budapest’s newest Reformed Church The Reformed Church opened in Soroksár on 5 September is reminiscent of the turreted towers of Churches in Kalotaszeg (Țara Călatei, Romania). While the eighth Reformed Church to be completed in Budapest since the fall of communism in Hungary way bear marks of long-standing traditions on its exterior, its interior is of a more modern inclination.

New building of the Museum of Ethnography reaches final height The new building for the Museum of Ethnography will be structurally complete this autumn and will open its doors to the public in 2022. The building is being constructed as part of the Liget Budapest Project on the site of the former car park on 56-osok Square.

A debate raging since the 19th century: Trams on Budapest bridges The question of running tracks across Margaret Bridge lead to a major debate during its construction, while trams only started running on Rákóczi bridge 20 years after its construction. Original plans for the bridge to be constructed near Galvani Street did not allocate rooms for trams. Nevertheless, it seems certain that guided transportation connections between Buda and Pest will remain for decades to come.

Suburban Railway extension to Kalvin Square to be completed in five years Three lines of Budapest's suburban railway system shall be completely renovated. As part of the project, the Ráckeve and Csepel lines will be extended underground to Kálvin Square

Frigyes Schulek designed a church to stand above Prince Árpád's final resting place Following the Hungarian National millennium of 1896, the country celebrated another millennium in 1907: the one-thousand-year anniversary of the death of Grand Prince Árpád, the ruler who led the conquest of the Carpathian Basin. Furthermore, the current ruler, Franz Joseph, also celebrated the 40th anniversary of his rule in the same year. A law passed to commemorate this double millennium stated that the Church built by King Saint Stephen, which had once stood on the outskirts of Óbuda where Prince Árpád was believed to be buried, should be rebuilt. Frigyes Schulek was commissioned to design the building.

Reformed Church opens in Soroksár The new church of the Soroksár–Újtelep Reformed Congregation opened on Dinnyehegyi Road in the 23rd District.

Queen Consort Elizabeth and the most beautiful lookout tower in Budapest The Elizabeth Lookout Tower atop János Hill in Budapest was opened with much ceremony 110 years ago. The tiered, cylindrical tower of snow-white limestone has since then become an unmatched staple of the Buda Hills, as it is visible from large swathes of the city. The present form of the lookout tower should be attributed to Frigyes Schulek. To honour the tower's anniversary, we have collected various images and stories from its past.

Renovated University Church reopened The University Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 5th District has been renovated. As part of the process the statues of the baroque building were restored, its sacristy renovated, the floor tiles replaced, the heating and electrical system modernised and the copper cladding of the spires repaired.

A street of celebrities – Writers, painters and inventors once lived along Bartók Béla Road There is a part of Budapest where a car factory, a barracks, university halls of residence, and the entirety of Hungarian literary life in the inter-war years lived peacefully side-by-side. All within 100 metres of each other. A small section of a wonderful road with wonderful places: the stretch of Bartók Béla Road between Szent Gellért [Saint Gerard] Square and the Körtér.

Statue of George H. W. Bush to be erected beside statue of Ronald Reagan on Szabadság Square A statue of President George H. W. Bush is to be erected in Budapest on Szabadság [Freedom] Square, alongside an existing statue of President Ronald Reagan. The monument will be inaugurated on the Hungarian National Holiday, 23 October to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe.

Walking paths on Sas Hill to be renovated The Danube–Ipoly National Park is carrying out development work on Sas Hill. Alongside the pruning of shrubs and planting of saplings, walk paths are to be renovated, new tables and benches, information boards, nesting spots and bird feeders built.

New sports centre in City Park completed and opened to the public The City Parks Sports Centre has been completed. Located in the south-eastern area of the park – near the intersection of Ajtósi Dürer Way and Dózsa György Road, the thirty-six-thousand square metre accessible sports centre contains football pitches, basketball courts, climbing walls and ping pong and teqball tables.