Courtyards
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Reáltanoda utca 12 – An Abandoned Mansion Which was the Home of a Legendary Racehorse
A little over a year ago, I had the opportunity to visit a remarkable place—Reáltanoda utca 12, located in the 5th district of Budapest. This historic house, long abandoned, is now set to undergo a transformation into an office space. But before its renovation, it was briefly opened to the public for an exhibition. This…
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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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József Attila utca 18 : The House Where Thousands of Portrait Where Taken
This building was constructed for Antal Mocsonyi in 1910 based on the plans of Károly Rainer. Interestingly, Antal Mocsonyi decided to launch an architectural design contest in 1907 to select the architect in charge of designing his apartment house. This marked the first instance in Budapest where this method was employed to choose the architect…
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The Brush Factory of Magdolna Utca
The courtyard of Magdolna utca 18 has retained the old vibes of Józsefváros, the 8th district of Budapest. For decades, Budapestians used brushes produced in this house for their painting and shoe-cleaning needs. In 1870, Albert Wolsky established a brush-making factory here. After Albert’s passing, his son Sándor took over as the director and expanded…
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Saints in the Courtyard: The Virgin Mary and Nepomuk in Práter utca 16
If you have the opportunity to visit Práter utca 16 in Józsefváros, take a moment to admire the beautiful statues of the Virgin Mary and John of Nepomuk in the courtyard. John of Nepomuk is a beloved patron saint of the Czechs, and it’s common to see statues, chapels, and churches dedicated to him throughout…
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A Boat in the the Courtyard of Dob utca 80!
In the courtyard of Dob utca 80, you can find a “ladik,” a flat-bottomed boat used in shallow waters. This building houses Fortuna Patika, a very old pharmacy. Inside, you’ll discover beautiful furniture that is worth a visit. During the 1940s, the pharmacy had a famous owner named Elemér Kocsuba, who also resided in the…
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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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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…
Buildings Tell Tales 