Buildings Tell Tales
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Népszínház utca 40: Echoes of Jewish Culture in Budapest
Here are a few of my photos of Népszínház utca 40 in Józsefváros, the 8th district of Budapest. This house, designed by József Porgesz (who also designed Salétrom utca 6) and Izsó Sugár, was built in 1907 for Mór Szenes. If you’re interested in Budapest’s Art Nouveau architectural heritage, you might recognize the name Szenes…
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Budapest: The Glass-Courtyard Building
The house at Paulay Ede utca 25-27, known as “Üveg-Udvar” or “Glass Courtyard,” was built in 1890 by glass manufacturer Adolf Schwarz. The building housed glass manufacturing workshops on the ground floor, while the upper floors were used for apartments.
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Sanctuary and Diplomacy: The Building of the Spanish Embassy in Budapest
A wealthy mansion in Budapest, once home to the Hatvany Deutsch family, became the Spanish Embassy in 1922. During WWII, it provided refuge for persecuted Jews, with the Ambassador aiding in saving over 5,200 lives.
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Lenhossék utca 5: Alcohol and Pocket Knife
This decaying apartment building is located at Lenhossék utca (formerly Szvetenay utca) 5, in an area that has long grappled with poverty and its associated issues, including criminality and drug addiction, rendering it still considered unsafe. However, this area is undergoing significant changes, with many old buildings being demolished and replaced by large condominiums. During…
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Székely Mihály utca 12: Second-Hand Stores and Stabbing in Terézváros
This old house is located at Székely Mihály utca 12. Prior to the war, this narrow street, then known as Kazár utca in Terézváros, the 6th district of Budapest, was bustling with second-hand stores selling clothing once owned by affluent individuals. Many of these shops were owned by Jews, with synagogues of Erzsébetváros nearby and…
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Csengery utca 80: A Decaying Treasure in Terézváros
Csengery utca 80, an old apartment building dating back to 1890 and designed by Sándor Sterk, is one of those timeless structures that evoke a bygone era. Interestingly, I stumbled upon an old information sheet hanging on the wall, featuring pre-1990 street names such as Lenin körút (Lenin Boulevard, now Teréz and Erzsébet Boulevards), Majakovszkij…
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Krúdy utca 2 : Art Nouveau & Contemporary Art
The house located at Krúdy Gyula utca 2, a small street of Józsefváros, boasts an exemplary piece of art nouveau architecture by Antal Hofhauser, completed in 1906-1907. François (Ferenc) Fiedler, a French painter of Hungarian descent, resided here from 1941 to 1945 before his move to Paris. Fiedler’s artistic journey began at a tender age,…
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József utca 3: The House of the Hungarian Association for Disabled and Retired Workers
József utca 3 is an apartment house located in the 8th district, originally built for the Hungarian Association for Disabled and Retired Workers, established in Budapest in 1893. This building, inaugurated in 1905, was constructed for the “Hungarian Association for Disabled and Retired Workers” (Magyarországi Munkások Rokkant és Nyugdíj Egylete), according to the plans of…
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Orczy út 27: Jakab Grünfeld’s Distillery
This house, situated at the intersection of Orczy út and Sárkány utca (specifically Orczy út 27), was once owned by the Grünfeld family, renowned for their success in the production and distribution of various alcoholic beverages such as pálinka, rum, and liquors. Jakab Grünfeld, the patriarch, operated a distillery and a tavern on this site.…
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Bem rakpart 54-55 and Károly Haggenmacher : From Swiss Roots to Budapest’s Heart
This apartment house located at Bem rakpart 54-55, in the 2nd district of Budapest, boasts a rich history dating back to 1899. Designed by the renowned architect Sándor Hauszmann for András Holtzspach, the building later became the property of Károly Haggenmacher, a key figure in Budapest’s development. Károly was the brother of Henrik Haggenmacher and…
Buildings Tell Tales 