Hungary
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Sanctuary and Diplomacy: The Building of the Spanish Embassy in Budapest
A wealthy mansion in Budapest, once home to the Hatvany Deutsch family, became the Spanish Embassy in 1922. During WWII, it provided refuge for persecuted Jews, with the Ambassador aiding in saving over 5,200 lives.
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Király Utca 70: Murder in the Architect’s Apartment
Yesterday, while conducting research in old newspapers about Király utca 70, I came across an article published in the Friss Ujság in 1928 titled “Horrific Robbery Murder on Király Street.” This crime occurred in the apartment of Pál Varsa, an architect who designed a house on Práter utca, a topic I previously posted about on…
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Király utca 21: One of Budapest’s Most Elegant Staircases
Nestled within Király utca 21 stands one of Budapest’s most elegant staircases, housed within the oldest surviving building on the street. Crafted by Mihály Pollack for Ferenc Dlauchy, a prosperous locksmith and frequent collaborator of the architect, this architectural masterpiece has weathered the test of time. However, the same cannot be said for many neighboring…
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Nádor utca 36: The House of the Rimamurány-Salgótarján Steelworks
Nádor utca 36 is a building located nearby the Parliament. It was designed by Artúr Meinig and built in 1901 for the Rimamurányi-Salgótarjáni Vasmű Rt. (Rimamurány-Salgótarján Steelworks), a huge company responsible for steel production in northern Hungary. The company, often nicknamed “Rima” had its headquarters in this building and rented out the rest. The name…
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Andrássy út 2: the Foncière-palace
At the corner of Andrássy út and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út stands the “Foncière-palota.” Adolf Feszty, a prominent architect in 19th century Budapest, designed the building in 1882 for the French Foncière Insurance company. Feszty, known for his contributions to the city’s architectural landscape, also designed the Haris-bazár (since demolished) and several mansions along the then-developing Sugár…
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Frankel Leó út 11: Where Neo-Renaissance meets Art Nouveau
Frankel út 11 is an apartment house with two distinct facades: one facing Frankel Leó út (where the entrance is situated) and the other facing Lipthay utca. The two sides of this narrow building are quite different. The facade on Lipthay utca is an interesting blend of neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau elements. Designed by the…
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József körút 21: The Vanishing Boot Scrapers of Budapest
In January 2024, I spotted a small sphinx guarding the entrance of an old apartment building from 1887 on József körút. It’s the last piece of what used to be a pair of boot scrapers, likely installed when the building was finished. Looking into its history, I learned that when the Budapest100 team visited in…
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Lenhossék utca 5: Alcohol and Pocket Knife
This decaying apartment building is located at Lenhossék utca (formerly Szvetenay utca) 5, in an area that has long grappled with poverty and its associated issues, including criminality and drug addiction, rendering it still considered unsafe. However, this area is undergoing significant changes, with many old buildings being demolished and replaced by large condominiums. During…
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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…
Buildings Tell Tales 