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Jumping to the present: Újbuda renovated 12 000 square metres of Parks A large 12 000 square metre park has been created among the tower blocks built in Újbuda in the 1970s. Sprawling between Tétényi Road and Fejér Lipót Street, the park includes renovated sports fields and courts, walkways, new ping pong tables and rest stops.

Government and Budapest City Council agree on major development plans The government plans to provide 3000 Billion HUF in additional funding towards healthcare and transportation development and environmental protection initiatives, according to plans laid out by the Government Commissioner for the Development of Budapest. According to an agreement reached on Thursday, the government will finance three projects: the renewal of the Pest embankment, the southern extension of the Buda intertwining tram, and the renovation of the Kelenföld bus station with the creation of a new 1,500-place P+R car park.

Playground and outdoor gym being built on Nagyrét The development of Nagyrét in Hűvösvölgy continues: a thematic playground and an outdoor gym will be built on one of the most popular greens in Budapest by the end of April. The playground, designed by sculptors, will evoke the indigenous fauna and flora of the forest. Work will begin later this week.

Pavements closed – Renovation of Chain Bridge begins Chain Bridge will be closed to pedestrians from 17 March, and walking across the bridge will be forbidden until work is completed in 2023. The pavements have been closed as part of preparatory steps before the renovation begins. Motorists can use the bridge until mid-June.

Building of Rác Bath up for auction Although the renovation of the Rác Bath complex was completed in 2010, it has never reopened due to protracted legal and financial disputes. Now the building's condition has deteriorated so much that it needs to be renovated again. The building – owned by Rác Nosztalgia Kft., which is under liquidation – will now be put up for auction together with the hotel connected to it for 5.1 billion HUF.

A blast saved Budapest from icy floods 65 years ago The sad year of 1956 brought other disasters than the brutal defeat of the revolution. Pestbuda has already reported on the earthquake in January, but another disaster struck the country in March. A huge flood wreaked havoc south of Budapest, and special measures were needed to protect the capital. Ice blocks were blown up near Kossuth Bridge.

János Esterházy in Budapest – The memorials of a martyr János Esterházy was an outstanding Hungarian statesman, a martyr of the 20th century. He alone did not vote on a bill allowing the deportation of Jews in the Slovak parliament. Although his work is mainly related to Upper Hungary (in present-day Slovakia), Esterházy lived in Budapest several times, and many monuments in the capital are connected to him. Among others, he saved the lives of thousands of Slovak, Hungarian and Jewish people and helped evacuate more than a hundred thousand Poles to Hungary and Budapest. His beatification process began in 2019.

Statue of Pál Vasvári erected in the garden of the National Museum Pál Vasvári was a leading figure in the Youths of March and played an important role in wording the 12 points. As one of the heroes of the War of Independence, he fell in battle in 1849, living only 23 years. A bust in his honour was unveiled in the garden of the National Museum on Saturday.

Renovation of Chain Bridge begins On 17 March, the pedestrian pavements on Chain Bridge will be closed as the renovation begins.

A Master of Art Nouveau – Remembering Zoltán Bálint Zoltán Bálint was born 150 years ago and played a significant part in redefining Budapest's architecture, but his name is little known today. His prolific oeuvre, his work with fellow architect, Lajos Jámbor, elevates him to an unavoidable position in Hungarian Art Nouveau architecture.

Planning of new tramway for Southern Danube Bridge begins The tramline for the future Galvani Bridge is being planned. The new, two-track, four-kilometre tramway will run from Fehérvári Road in Buda across the new Danube bridge and North Csepel, and over the new Ráckeve-Danube bridge to Gubacsi Road in Pest.

Iconic Bálna in Budapest to be renovated Budapest's iconic building, Bálna or the Whale, which has defined the Danube-banks for years, is to be renovated. The structural renovation will see key materials replaced with modern counterparts, but the exterior will not change. Bálna will also receive decorative lighting.

Signposts on the road – Unique installations uncover the details of Wekerletelep Walking along the 1.6-kilometre path of the 10 signposts in Wekereletelep allows visitors to dive into the listed area's history. Looking through the peep-holes on the steel and wood posts highlights small but important details of the area.

New bridges in Budapest PestBuda has reported on the largest railway development, the Southern Ring Railway, currently underway in Budapest several times. Recently, new renders appeared of an important element of the railway line, a new bridge. Take a look.

Magdolna Udvar completed – Cultural institution opens in old Budafok town hall The new cultural institution in Budafok will house a local history museum and several exhibition spaces. A café will open in the inner courtyard, the new Atrium. One of the rooms in the former town hall building will be a so-called visual warehouse, in which objects can be taken in hand.

The story of four hundred graves – Archaeological excavation on Margit Boulevard comes to an end The excavation on a plot at the corner of Margit Boulevard and Rómer Flóris Street has been completed. Archaeologists uncovered many Bronze Age and Roman items and artefacts from the Ottoman Period, as well as four hundred graves.

Hotel to open in Drechsler Palace – Ödön Lechner's masterpiece reborn Standing opposite the Opera House, at 25 Andrássy Avenue, the French Renaissance-style Drechsler Palace is to be renovated as a five-star hotel. The remodelling of the building, designed by Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, will include a loft conversion. The owners have promised that the listed historical monument will be restored to its former glory.

Ornaments for three decades – The entrance halls of the Millenium Underground Railway Continental Europe's first underground railway was opened on 2 May 1896, the first day of the national millennium celebrations, after only nineteen months of construction. The unique vehicle strengthened the character of Budapest as a global city, connected the centre of Pest with City Park. The implementation involved construction not only underground but on the surface: with the exception of the Opera House, an entrance hall was built at the stations. However, these ornate little buildings later fell victim to the “modernisation” of the cityscape.

Under deconstruction: Fontana building being torn down Those wanting to take a last glance at the Fontana building, built in 1984 on the corner of Váci Street and Régi Posta Street, should hurry. The large-scale demolition works are already underway. The former shopping centre will soon be replaced by a more modern building on Budapest's top shopping street.

Paris Department Store on Andrássy Avenue opened 110 years ago The Paris Department Store at 39 Andrássy Avenue opened to the public 110 years ago, on 3 March 1911, after its previous building at 38 Rákóczi Road burned down, and the store moved to its new location. However, the new building of the Paris Department Store was larger and more luxurious than its predecessor. It was opened to shoppers until the end of World War II.

New collection of posters brings the turn-of-the-century to a terrace of Buda Castle A new outdoor installation of 25 posters has been opened on the terrace of the Castle Gaden Bazaar. The exhibit opens the door to the life, industry and politics of the past. The newly opened collection includes the posters of Budapest Orpheum, the Holzer Budapest Clothes Shop, the Törley Champagne Factory, the newly-opened Corvin Department Store, and the Budapest Operetta Theater's poster for its revue Halló Amerika. The works of the poster artist Géza Faragó are on display on the southern panorama terrace of the Castle Garden Bazaar.

A forgotten side of Kálvin Square – Lost buildings: The Geist and Pintér Buildings Kálvin Square is a transport hub, one of the busiest and most popular squares in Budapest. Museums, restaurants and hotels fill the nearby streets, but the square itself is also of interest. At the junction of Kecskeméti Street and Kálvin tér, where the huge blocks of the Korona Hotel now stand connected by a bridge, there were once two beautiful residential buildings houses. A look at their history is worthwhile.

A virtual visit to Budapest – Explore Kossuth Square online A new virtual tour of Kossuth Square around the Hungarian Parliament building has been released. The virtual space includes a collection of rarely seen films and less known facts to offer visitors a deeper understanding of the Hungarian nation's main square, its buildings and memorials.

Unique bicycle track being built in Budafok A bicycle pump track will be built in the 22nd District, in a previously unused area next to the Budafoki elágazás tram stop. Amateur and professional cyclists will be able to use the area. A wide promenade will lead through the park, and other communal spaces will be built as well.

The flood of 1876 – Devastation in Buda and Pest The flood of 1838 is part of our collective memory; everyone in Budapest has heard of it. However, it was not the last major flood that wreaked havoc in the capital. In 1876, 145 years ago, the river flooded, mainly damaging Buda but causing houses to collapse in Pest. Today, Budapest is safe from floods, which is mainly thanks to our ancestors' efforts in the 19th century.

House of Hungarian Music to open before Christmas The construction of the House of Hungarian Music in City Park has entered its final stage. To commemorate the occasion, a time capsule was placed in the centre of the building. The institution will open its doors to the general public before Christmas this year.

Restoration of Turul statue begins in Buda Castle The turul statue of Buda Castle has been lifted from its pedestal and moved to a temporary restoration workshop created on Savoyai Terrace. The statue will be cleaned, its bronze work repaired, and the internal iron frame reinforced.

Fifty years ago, humans weren’t the most numerous inhabitants of Budapest Rats are one of the most unpopular animals. However, they are also dangerous as they spread countless diseases. In the past, every big city was teeming with these rodents, and even today, only a few can say they are almost rat-free. Budapest is one of them.

Explore Archduke Joseph's Palace – Designs for the interior to be rebuilt revealed The reconstruction of Archduke Joseph's palace in Buda Castle will begin later this year. Newly released visuals showcase the glass-roofed ornamental main staircase, a two-story-high ceremonial hall, and the Renaissance revival garden.