Architecture
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Hidden Gem in a Courtyard of the 6th District of Budapest
During my exploration of Budapest, I discovered this hidden gem in the courtyard of Dessewffy utca 16. This beautiful mid-19th-century building is the former atelier of the sculptor János Marschalkó, known as the “father” of the majestic lions guarding the recently renovated Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Born in Lőcse (Levoča, now in Slovakia) in 1819, Marschalkó…
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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…
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Meet the Headless Venus of Szív utca
Hidden in the courtyard of Szív utca 18, within Terézváros, the 6th district of Budapest stands a headless statue of Venus. Despite its beauty and a few articles written about her, the statue has been left to decay. In a poignant letter “penned” to the editor of Budapest magazine in 1966, the statue implored them…
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The Hidden Jewish Prayer House of Káldy Gyula utca
Located in Budapest’s Terézváros district, Káldy Gyula utca is a street that typically falls outside my usual route when exploring the city. However, at number 6 on this street lies a hidden gem: a former Jewish prayer house. Constructed in 1867-1868 by János Lohr for Löwy Lindenbaum, the house was under the ownership of the…
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The Guardian of Hernád utca 19
A mythical creature, perhaps a dragon, guards the staircase at Hernád utca 19 in the 7th district of Budapest. The house has stood since 1895, and during that time, the creature has witnessed countless events. I couldn’t help but imagine the stories it could tell. So I did some research and discovered some of the…
Buildings Tell Tales 