Buildings Tell Tales
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The Budapest of the early 1980s through the lens of Benjamin Makovecz
A few years ago, I used to wake up early to explore Budapest’s flea markets, searching for vintage photos. I donated most of my discoveries to Fortepan, a copyright-free and community-based photo archive. One day, amidst my treasure hunt at Bakancsos flea market, I stumbled upon a collection of captivating black and white prints showcasing…
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Semmelweis utca 2: A Glimpse into Győző Czigler’s Architectural Gem
The apartment house of the Hungarian Royal University Fund (Magyar Királyi Tudományegyetemi Alap bérháza), located at Semmelweis utca 2, stands as a testament to the architectural brilliance of Győző Czigler. Completed in 1895, this edifice is one of many iconic creations by Czigler, a prolific architect whose life, though brief (born in Arad in 1850,…
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Ghost Signs and Vintage Signs in Budapest
According to an article published in The Guardian, ‘ghost signs’ are typically hand-painted advertising signs or old shop signs from the late 19th or early to mid-20th centuries preserved on buildings that have since changed use. To be precise and adhere to this definition, I have also included ‘vintage signs’ in the title of this…
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Honvéd utca 18 : The House Where Teller Ede Spent His Childhood
I recently watched the film “Oppenheimer”. Since the character of Edward Teller (Teller Ede), played by Benny Safdie, had an important role in the film, I decided to visit the house in Budapest where he grew up. Teller Ede was born in 1908 at Kozma Ferenc utca 3, in the 5th district of Budapest. When…
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An Abandoned Beauty in the Heart of Budapest : Múzeum körút 19
Hidden courtyard at Múzeum körút 19, in the 5th district of Budapest. This partially abandoned house was designed by Miklós Ybl for Zsigmond Róth, the owner of a stained glass workshop. Zsigmond was the father of Miksa Róth, the most famous Hungarian stained glass and mosaic artist. In 2016, a temporary exhibition was organized here,…
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Silent Witnesses to History: Bullet Holes in Király utca 49
Some photos of Király utca 49 where the renovation has recently started. The façade of this historical house is adorned with a statue of Saint Therese, representing the pharmacy of the same name that occupied the building from 1957 until the early 1940s. During my exploration, I noticed bullet or shrapnel holes on the top…
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Like an Old Castle: Izabella Utca 63
Walking into Izabella utca 63 in Budapest’s 6th district feels like entering an old castle. It’s amazing how many small architectural details, such as the special tiles and ironwork, have been preserved over the years. Even the doors of the apartments resemble castle walls! This house was built in the 1890s for Dávid Kopf and…
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Tragic Odyssey from Józsefváros to Weimar: The Enigmatic Story of Emil Ottenreiter
These photos were taken in a building located at Korányi Sándor utca 4 in Budapest, designed by the renowned architect Alfréd Wellisch in 1907. During my research on the history of this building, I uncovered an intriguing story about a man named Emil Ottenreiter. Ottenreiter, an employee of the Eggenberger bookshop in Budapest, received an…
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Hidden Treasures in an Old Staircase of Budapest
I captured these photos in one of my favorite houses in Budapest, situated at Fecske utca 14 in the Józsefváros district. Although I couldn’t uncover much information about the house’s past, I do know that it dates back to the 19th century. According to local legend, a Jewish prayer house once occupied the courtyard, but…
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Bartók, Kodály, Chaliapin, and the Photographic Legacy of Damjanich utca 52
Why would Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, Mihály Babits, and even Feodor Chaliapin find themselves crossing the threshold on the fifth floor of an apartment building at Damjanich utca 52? The answer lies in the lens of Pál M. Vajda, a famous Hungarian portrait photographer. From 1922 to 1943, Vajda set up his photo studio on…
Buildings Tell Tales 