Photography
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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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The Budapest of the early 1980s through the lens of Benjamin Makovecz
A few years ago, I used to wake up early to explore Budapest’s flea markets, searching for vintage photos. I donated most of my discoveries to Fortepan, a copyright-free and community-based photo archive. One day, amidst my treasure hunt at Bakancsos flea market, I stumbled upon a collection of captivating black and white prints showcasing…
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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…
Buildings Tell Tales 