Hidden Budapest
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The Abandoned Sanatorium of Benczúr Utca
This deteriorating building, located at Benczúr utca 4 in the 6th district of Budapest, was designed by Géza Markus, known for creating the Art Nouveau “Cifrapalota” in Kecskemét and the Schöpf-Merei hospital (which is also currently abandoned) in the 9th district of Budapest. Despite being the work of a famous architect, there is very little…
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Persephone’s Statue in the Szemerédy-house : A Hidden Gem at Apáczai Csere utca 3
A few years ago, I discovered this delightful statue of Persephone in the “Szemerédy-ház” located at Apáczai Csere utca 3, in the 5th district of Budapest. This house, built in 1811, was commissioned by András Szemerédy, a judge, and constructed by József Hofrichter, who was quite renowned. Among his notable works are the Calvin Square…
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Hegedűs Gyula utca 3: The House with a Synagogue on the Ground Floor
Designed by Béla Vajda and constructed in 1911, this apartment house has a unique feature: a synagogue is located on the ground floor. It is one of the several synagogues which were built within residential buildings including the former Jewish praying house on Káldy utca, the synagogue at Frankel Leó út 49, Dessewfy utca 23…
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Visegrádi utca 4: Unveiling Beauty Behind the Unappealing Facade
Nestled in the Újlipótváros neighborhood of Budapest’s 13th district, Visegrádi utca 4 may not catch your eye right away. Back in 1958, a newspaper bluntly called it one of the “ugliest and most neglected buildings in Budapest.” They complained about its bad conditions and the damages suffered 13 years earlier, predicting a gloomy future for…
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Thököly út 61: The Tale of the Statue of a Woman Waiting for Her Husband
If you have the opportunity to walk along Thököly út in Zugló, Budapest’s 14th district, take a moment to appreciate the grandeur of the facades. Stop at number 61 and observe a balcony without a door, adorned with a captivating statue of a woman gazing down at the street. Since the 1910s, this mysterious figure…
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Hidden Sculptures and Statues in Budapest
Numerous websites, Facebook, and Instagram profiles already document Budapest’s statues. In this category, I will focus on sculptures hidden inside buildings and the fascinating stories behind them. This headless Venus stands in the courtyard of Szív utca 18. In 1980, she “wrote” an article for a magazine. Read her story here. This statue of a…
Buildings Tell Tales 