Hungary
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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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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,…
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Bimbó utca 11 : A Beautiful Artwork Hidden in a Modernist House in Budapest’s 2nd District
Bimbó út 11 is an apartment house located in Budapest’s 2nd district, constructed in the early 1940s. It features a captivating lobby, which, in my opinion, stands out as one of the city’s most attractive. The central highlight of the lobby is a bas-relief created in 1942 by Margit Kovács, a renowned Hungarian ceramic artist…
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Nyúl utca 10 : Izidor Loebl’s Art Nouveau summer residence
While exploring Budapest’s 2nd district last October, I came across a captivating villa on Nyúl utca. Constructed between 1904 and 1905, it boasts a rich history. Originally designed by architect Zsigmond Popper as a summer residence for paper merchant Izidor Loebl and his wife, the villa prioritized comfort for a relaxing getaway. The well-appointed interior…
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Aradi utca 57 : the Art Nouveau “Platschek-House”
The “Platschek-House” is an Art Nouveau residential building located at Aradi utca 57 in the 6th district of Budapest. It was designed by the Löffler brothers, Béla and Sándor, and built in 1908 for Vilmos Platschek, the wealthy owner of a garment factory employing 250 people, with a store on Károly körút where the clothing…
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Naphegy utca 21 : “Built in 1914”
“Built in 1914” – another one of my favorite entrances in Budapest is located at Naphegy utca 21 in the 1st district. This house, designed by László Lipót Németh, stands as a testament to the resilience of the city’s architecture. Constructed just before the tumultuous times of World War I, it faced the challenges of…
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Bem rakpart 54-55 and Károly Haggenmacher : From Swiss Roots to Budapest’s Heart
This apartment house located at Bem rakpart 54-55, in the 2nd district of Budapest, boasts a rich history dating back to 1899. Designed by the renowned architect Sándor Hauszmann for András Holtzspach, the building later became the property of Károly Haggenmacher, a key figure in Budapest’s development. Károly was the brother of Henrik Haggenmacher and…
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Art Nouveau Facade Hidden in a Small Street of Budapest
This Art Nouveau facade can be found at 11 Mária utca, a narrow street in Budapest’s 8th district. Designed by Mihály Jesovits and built in 1906, the facade, featuring artists’ studios on an additional floor, complements the original 1872 building by Bódog Buzzi. Bódog Buzzi, originally Felix Buzzi from Moravia with an Italian father, settled…
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Hidden Hungary : Discovering Sásd, a small town in southern Hungary
In January 2024, I spent a weekend heading towards southern Hungary to explore Dombovár and Sásd. Since I had some time, I decided to spontaneously explore a random place between the two towns, and this is how I ended up spending a few hours in a small town named Sásd. Sásd is a town in…
Buildings Tell Tales 