Architecture
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Csengery utca 15: The Guild of Barbers and Hairdressers in Budapest
The house located at Csengery utca 15 is a rather average-looking building from the second half of the 19th century. On Sunday, the door was open, so I sneaked in and discovered an interesting memorial plaque on the lobby wall. According to the plaque, this building was purchased in 1907 by the guild of Barbers…
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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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Balázs Béla utca 27/b : A Vanishing Old House in Budapest’s 9th District
Back in January 2022, I posted on my Facebook page about an old building located at Balázs Béla utca 27./b in Budapest’s 9th district. At the time, I was curious about the fate of this apartment house, given the recent demolition of many old buildings in this deprived area of Budapest. In June of the…
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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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Üllői út 14 : The Art Nouveau “Golden Eagle Court”
Üllői út 14 is an Art Nouveau apartment house built in 1907 and designed by Gyula Fodor. Interestingly, this house connects Üllői út with Baross utca and has the same door and relief at both entrances. In the past, these kinds of passages were quite common, and I once read an article published in the…
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Hajós utca 41: “Tlach und Keil” & “Finger és Fia”
Those of you who regularly read my website or Facebook posts have probably noticed that most of the photos I share depict decaying buildings. This is because I find beauty in the passage of time, particularly evident in the worn facades and crumbling walls that tell stories of bygone eras. Moreover, I believe it’s essential…
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Síp utca 8-10 : Ruins in the Heart of Erzsébetváros
In recent years, I’ve captured thousands of photos of old buildings in Budapest. Editing and organizing them is an incredible time commitment. As a way to slow down and contemplate my subject matter more deeply, I sometimes choose to shoot on film. This particular photograph was taken from the building of the Jewish Community of…
Buildings Tell Tales 