Architecture
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Tölgyfa utca 10 : A hidden Art Deco treasure in Budapest’s 2nd district
Tölgyfa utca, a small street nestled in Budapest’s 2nd district, harbors a hidden treasure for Art Deco aficionados: the Budapest Institute for Pneumonia Treatment. This architectural gem was designed by Loránd Almási Balogh and completed in 1931. Almási Balogh also left his mark by designing numerous buildings in the Óbuda Gasworks Housing Estate. The structural…
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Rózsa utca 29 : The Poet who Wanted to Die
Rózsa utca 29, a large apartment house in Budapest’s 7th district, is a lesser-known work by architect Gyula Fodor, renowned for his Art Nouveau building. Gyula Fodor,designed many amazing buildings in Budapest such as Csokonai utca 8, Hajós utca 25, Dózsa György út 64, or Baross utca 11, Falk Miksa 13. According to what I…
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Kosciuszko Tádé utca 6: From Istanbul to Budapest – the Captivating Story of the Camhi Family
When I was a student, I spent a year and a half living in a flat in Budapest’s 1st district. During that time, I often strolled down Kosciuszko Tádé utca, a street honoring the famous Polish military leader Tadeusz Kościuszko. Each time, I couldn’t resist pausing to admire the striking Art Deco facade, marked by…
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Szondi utca 75 : Decaying Art Nouveau Architecture in Terézváros
Situated just a stone’s throw away from the renowned Sonnenberg-ház at Munkácsy Mihály utca 23, Szondi utca 75 stands as another remarkable testament to Art Nouveau architecture in Budapest, both buildings were designed by the same architect, Albert Kálmán Kőrössy. Built in 1906, this building was once home to Vilmos Nagybaczoni Nagy, a high-ranking officer…
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Thököly út 10 : Hungarian Emigrants’ First Steps Toward the United States
The section of Thököly út between Keleti and Reiner Frigyes Park is, in my opinion, one of the most depressing areas in Budapest (if you go further you will find nice villas such as Thököly út 61). The deteriorating facades are darkened by pollution, and there are numerous stores and pubs that closed long ago.…
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The Service Stairs of Teréz Körút 9, Budapest
Teréz körút 9, an old apartment building constructed in 1887, is believed to have been designed by Sebestyén Messner and Rezső Arndt for Emil Lyka. One intriguing story from my research on the house’s history revolves around a burglar named Károly Ferencz. In October 1930, he targeted an office within Teréz körút 9. Surprisingly, on…
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The Atlantes of Salétrom utca 6
On the façade of this late Art Nouveau apartment building, meticulously designed by József Porgesz for Ármin Sauer at Salétrom utca 6, stand two distinctive figures known as “atlantes” (the plural of “atlas”). These atlantes draw their name from the Titan condemned in Greek mythology to bear the weight of the sky on his shoulders…
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Kossuth Lajos utca 4 : The Dreher-Palace
A few years ago, I used to enjoy drinking beer in summer before gradually switching to ‘fröccs’, a mix of soda water and white wine. Among the mass-produced Hungarian beers, my favorite was Dreher, especially their dark beer called ‘Bak’ But why am I writing about my taste for beer? Because this beautiful building known…
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Frankel Leó út 49 : The Hidden Synagogue
The Frankel Leó Synagogue, also known as the Újlaki Synagogue, is tucked away in a courtyard in Budapest’s 2nd district. Designed by Sándor Fellner, it was originally surrounded by small houses and shops. The adjacent apartment building was constructed later, in 1928, and became home to members of the local Jewish community. In the early…
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Szilágyi Erzsébet Fasor 41
In 1933, József Törs, a prosperous engineer and entrepreneur, commissioned Andor and Pál Vajda to create a residence incorporating the latest contemporary amenities of that era located at Szilágyi Erzsébet Fasor 41 in Budapest’s 2nd district. Luckily, this splendid example of modernist architecture endured through various conflicts, preserving numerous remarkable elements like the authentic doors,…
Buildings Tell Tales 