PestBuda

Spectacular roof of the House of Hungarian Music completed – The building is structurally complete One of the most spectacular roofs in Europe has been completed within the Liget Budapest Project. The House of Hungarian Music is now structurally complete in the City Park. The institution to open at the end of 2021 will operate as an exhibition, and performance venue and centre for music education.

A bridge bears the name of the respected Hungarian engineer who designed a canal to go around Budapest Have you ever heard of Jenő Kvassay? The name may be familiar to those who know Budapest well, as the city houses a Kvassay Bridge, Kvassay Road and Kvassay Lock. These are all named after the Hungarian hydraulic engineers, who played a central part in regulating the Danube.

Born 125 years ago the architect Gedeon Gerlóczy is remembered as a saviour of Csontváry’s paintings Gedeon Gerlóczy was a leading figure of modern architecture in Hungary. Several of his buildings became landmarks in Budapest as it changed between the two world wars. As the designer of new hospitals, he became a pioneer for a modernist interpretation of these functional buildings. And as the saviour of several of Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka’s paintings, he is remembered as the “painting saving architect.”

New park opened near City Park A 13000-square-metre park has been created surrounding the Hungarian Museum Restoration and Storage Centre between Szabolcs Street and Vágány Street, not far from City Park (Városliget). The peaceful Bókay Garden is open to visitors.

Béla IV, died 750 years ago, founded Buda but does not even have a memorial plaque in the Castle District After the Tartar invasion, King Béla IV founded the city that is known today as Buda. He was looking for a place that would be impregnable during a next Mongol attack. He surrounded the plateau of Castle Hill with thick walls, parcelled and populated the area, and built monasteries and churches. Béla IV's Buda still exists today, the castle walls he built, the streets he walked on, the house walls and window frames he could see, the booths he could sit in, but not even a plaque preserves the name of the founder here.

Budapest to lease out the Embankment to Food Trucks City authorities to allow food trucks and movable food pavilions to be placed on the Lower Embankment on the Pest-side of the Danube between Margaret bridge and Eötvös Square between 18th July and 13th August. The majority of providers will be located at the foot of the Chain Bridge between the Danube and Széchenyi Square. The food trucks will serve foods, beverages and alcoholic drinks and must be open until midnight.

The Budapest Dream – A Footbridge over the Danube Many people believe that the Chain Bridge could be the footbridge of the future. However, the bridge was not designed to be one. It consists of three well-separated sections: the two footpaths and the road section. There is no way to move between the sections, and the view from the middle is lacklustre due to the nature of the design. Another solution is the only way forward to create a footbridge that so many in Budapest have wanted for years.

Renovation of the Cistercian Church to St. Emeric completed The renovated cross was raised onto the east tower of St Emeric Church. The multi-month restoration of the parish which include works on the facade and the interiro has been completed.

The Chain Bridge Purchase – 150 years ago the State bought the Chain Bridge What is now a famous Budapest landmark, the Chain Bridge, was originally constructed by a private company and opened in 1849. In return, the company received a range of financial benefits from the state, including the right to charge everyone for crossing.

Budapest, as never seen before – Church towers in the city centre opened as viewpoints A unique attraction has been opened in Budapest following the renovation of the towers of the Inner City Parish Church as lookouts. The towers offer a new view of the magnificent Budapest cityscape.

The builder of Buda Castle - How did Alajos Hauszmann win the commission? We will never know exactly how many architects imagined that they could be the designer of the Buda Castle. Those who, after the death of Miklós Ybl, felt a vocation to continue the work already begun also tried to find connections and get recommendations from the members of the Public Works Council, the construction committee, and higher circles. Eventually, Alajos Hauszmann was given the job, who was silently waiting for the decision, not even telling his family that he was the candidate.

The mourning Budapest - The traffic of the capital and the heartbeat of the nation stopped 100 years ago On that day, no shops were opened in Budapest, no performances were held, cafés, restaurants and clubs remained closed. In the schools of the capital, the teachers told the students about the injustice they had experienced in Hungary, moved, with tears in their eyes. A multitude of people expelled from the torn-off area staged a silent protest on Andrássy Avenue against the 4 June Treaty of Trianon. All Pest newspapers were shocked to report on the fragmentation of Hungary, and regardless of party affiliation, they unanimously rejected the Paris decision.

Poetry Day Walk - Statues of the greatest Hungarian poets in Budapest On this year's National Poetry Day, 11 April - the birthday of Attila József - the public, community poem readings, which have already become a tradition, were cancelled, and we could not even visit the statues of the greatest Hungarian poets to show our respect and gratitude. Thus, Pestbuda offers only a virtual walk between the works depicting our national greats in Budapest.