it's been reborn as a vibrant community space After being neglected for years and merely serving as a recreational area for locals the municipality decided to give it a glow-up on their own budget in 2020 The goal was to increase green spaces and create an area where families with children resulting in a 4,763-square-metre green space What's more, a circular memorial has been erected to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust in Budapest, with this very square at its centre. All in all, on your next meander through the district or on your way to Szimpla Kert make sure to cross the square – it's a true gem amid the concrete jungle hogy a kivitelező munkatársai és a kertészek hogyan dolgoznak a Klauzál tér megújulásán The 38 Best Restaurants in Rome, Italy The 18 Best Louisville Restaurants The 38 Best Restaurants in Mexico City Where to find Hungarian specialties like goulash First-time visitors are often surprised by the sheer beauty of Budapest from Buda’s leafy residential streets and royal castle perched atop the Danube to the lively streets of Pest on the opposite side where the striking Hungarian Parliament stretches along the riverbank the city bears the marks of a turbulent history under the rule of Ottoman pashas which has yielded a uniquely Central European style: Budapest combines the conveniences of a modern Western European city with the dynamic energy and relatively affordable prices of Eastern Europe This eclectic mix of cultural influences is also evident in the capital’s culinary traditions and restaurant scene A young crop of foreign-trained chefs has taken advantage of improved access to quality ingredients to once again make Budapest an exciting place for dining out Spurred by booming tourism and a growing local economy new restaurants are popping up across the city offering updated takes on local peasant fare like goulash soup alongside Michelin-starred modernist meals there’s still plenty of reason to celebrate the neighborhood stalwarts that have been churning out tasty pörkölt (beef stew) and töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage rolls) to locals for decades Tas Tóbiás is the editor of the food, wine, and architecture guide Offbeat Budapest eszpresszós were popular hangouts serving cheap coffee (strictly dark roast) drawing a mix of regulars and local 20-somethings who have discovered the charms of the Communist-era genre With its original socialist-modern interior furnishings and stereotypically dour waitstaff While it’s appropriate to go there any time of the day and a cup of coffee on the outdoor terrace is especially choice This downtown restaurant is a neighborhood institution famed for its prewar Budapest ambience In keeping with the bourgeois tastes of the period the interior boasts a Persian-carpeted dining room and curvy Thonet bentwood chairs when office workers from the nearby financial district flock for cold fruit soups and vegetable stews studded with meatballs Owner Gábor Molnár’s cheerful presence has been a constant since the opening in 1995 This Michelin-starred downtown restaurant is known best for the visually striking and technically precise dishes prepared under the direction of executive chef Ákos Sárközi the duck liver starter and the Mangalica pork tenderloins have remained mainstays on the menu Borkonyha has a bistro-like vibe that’s more casual than other fine dining restaurants in Budapest Stand25 is the restaurant of Hungarian celebrity chefs Szulló Szabina and Tamás Széll the duo also in charge of the two-Michelin-starred Stand on the Pest side the focus is updated traditional Hungarian food Must-tries include the goulash brightened with hints of chopped celery cottage cheese dumplings served for dessert with foamed sour cream and cherry preserves Local office workers form a line at lunchtime in front of this standing-only downtown eatery which specializes in traditional meat-heavy dishes Patrons can choose from an array of fresh or prepared meats Follow the locals and pair a sausage with a generous portion of mustard Threatening to overtake the thermal baths as the city’s best-known attraction ruin bars are low-priced pubs housed inside the vast dilapidated prewar buildings of the city’s old Jewish Quarter Szimpla Kert — opened in 2003 and furnished with an array of flea-market bric-a-brac — was the genre’s pioneer Despite its current status as a major tourist destination it’s worth stopping in for a drink to see the impressive space for yourself the place transforms into a lively farmers market The freshest news from the food world every day Drawing a melting pot of local intellectuals and artists and a jazz club fused into one inviting space The slim menu includes breakfast foods and standard bistro fare as well as a selection of midrange Hungarian wines to enjoy with the live jazz performances on Friday and Saturday evenings (no concerts in the summer) and the scrambled eggs “with everything” will not disappoint lunch-only eateries in Hungary patronized mostly by locals (similar to osterias in Italy) located in a working-class Budapest neighborhood not far from the city center is one of the best examples of this dying genre The go-to meal here is the daily soup special followed by mátrai borzas: a crunchy potato-battered pork loin topped with sour cream and cheese and paired with a side of rice Not much about the interior has changed since the opening in 1985 Rosenstein is a bit outside the city center Budapest has the largest Chinese community in Central Europe which means that excellent Chinese restaurants abound in Monori Center He He may look like your typical takeout spot but it serves up stellar Sichuan food and famed hand-pulled noodles prepared by a dedicated noodle chef from Lanzhou go for the boiled fish in chile oil and Sichuan peppercorns countless specialty coffee shops have sprung up in Budapest but only a few of them have something unique to offer beyond the typical third-wave cafe playbook located along the increasingly fashionable Bartók Béla Boulevard on the Buda side of the Danube draws an eclectic group of locals with its book-lined interior like a recent exhibition of Hungarian architectural photography from the 1970s Since cocktail expert Zoltán Nagy opened up shop in 2008 Boutiq has been one of the pioneers of mixed drinks in Budapest but the crack team of professional bartenders keeps the drinks flowing efficiently let the bartenders unleash their creativity or opt for a local taste with the Budapest Spritz made with Zwack Unicum Artizán is a rightfully popular new-wave bakery in Budapest’s city center but keep an eye out for two of their breakfast favorites: the kakaós csiga a roll flaunting thick layers of chocolate and the vanilla- and berry-filled cardamom bun be sure to check out Hungary’s most famous Art Nouveau building If you’d like to be pampered in grand fashion make your way to one of Budapest’s temples of Michelin-starred fine dining Swedish chef Daniel Berlin leads an army of local talent who treat guests to beautiful creations inspired by Austro-Hungarian fare in addition to the usual suspects of a fine dining menu a tribute to the days of yore when the giant fish swam in the Danube is special: The restaurant is flanked by Roman ruins and a medieval church while the Danube’s bank is just steps away Both the eight- and 13-course tasting menus will set you back Located on a quiet side street in downtown Hilda is a modern Hungarian restaurant known for its commitment to top ingredients Marbled Mangalica pork comes from a farm in eastern Hungary sweet paprika from the paprika heartland near Kalocsa The restaurant’s interior is decorated with colorful Art Nouveau tiles and plush midcentury chairs are tucked into cozy Hilda is an ideal destination for a special date night enhanced by Hungarian wines It’s hard to think of a more fashionable restaurant in Budapest than Dobrumba located in the center of the city’s nightlife a chic crowd of locals and visitors fills the buzzing space The restaurant specializes in favorites from North Africa like baharat-spiced pomegranate chicken livers and a house-favorite Moroccan lemon chicken tagine Historically, Hungary has been a wine-drinking nation, and today there are 22 wine regions in the country, most famously Tokaj in the northeast a sleek wine bar hidden on a side street behind the Hungarian State Opera House French proprietor Jean-Julien Ricard works with small and many natural and biodynamic labels appear on the menu You might have to stand in line with visitors to enter this historic pastry shop and coffeehouse it’s one of the few establishments that survived the Communist era — when it went by the name Vörösmarty and was under state ownership — and it still retains much of the striking original interior complete with chandeliers and cherrywood paneling which consists of layers of buttercream and ground walnuts topped with white fondant From quick kosher burgers to traditional Hungarian dishes The iconic Dohány Street Synagogue — with its unmistakable twin onion domes towering above — is at the epicenter of Budapest’s Jewish culinary scene A handful of kosher restaurants and casual eateries are sprinkled throughout the historic Jewish neighborhood of Erzsébetváros where Pest’s Jews first settled in the late 18th Century on the eastern side of the Danube River (The separate cities of Buda and Pest merged in 1873 to form Budapest.) Most of the city’s religious Jews continue to live within the former ghetto. But touches of Old World secular Jewish cuisine and even New York-inspired delis can be found elsewhere in the city. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Robert Rosenstein (@rosensteinrobi) If you’re lucky you might run into the eponymous patriarch Tibor Rosenstein himself when he doesn’t have his arm around celebrity visitors like Robert DeNiro and Helen Mirren The Nosher celebrates the traditions and recipes that have brought Jews together for centuries Donate today to keep The Nosher's stories and recipes accessible to all Address: Budapest, Pozsonyi út 20, 1137 Hungary View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mazel Tov (@mazeltovbudapest) There’s a rustic greenhouse vibe to Mazel Tov specifically its garden covered with planted herbs and trees It certainly sticks out from the familial and kosher establishments featured elsewhere on this list Mazel Tov leans more heavily in the Israeli direction with its hummus bowl, pita sandwiches and slow roasted lamb served with shakshuka cream. But there’s an Ashkenazi nod with pastrami from their Israeli fusion kitchen, along with their 14-day aged smoked brisket, made with homemade yellow mustard, pickled cucumber and Middle Eastern barbecue sauce. Address: Budapest, Akácfa u. 47, 1072 Hungary View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carmel Kosher Restaurant (@carmel_restaurant_budapest) Address: Budapest, Kazinczy u. 31, 1075 Hungary View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kosher Deli Budapest (@kosherdelibudapest) Address: Budapest, Síp u. 12, 1075 Hungary View this post on Instagram A post shared by Spinoza Restaurant (@spinozarestaurant) Address: Budapest, Kazinczy u. 29, 1074 Hungary View this post on Instagram A post shared by Macesz Bistro (@maceszbistro) After weathering the pandemic blow, Macesz Bistro reopened in the Old Jewish neighborhood in the spring of 2022. Macesz bills itself as an Eastern European bistro with a focus on Hungarian and Jewish cuisine “reimagined” by chef Ákos Tasnádi. Dishes like vegetarian matzah lasagne, cholent and veal paprikash are presented with the flare of a professional food stylist preparing for a cookbook photoshoot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KosherMeatUp (@koshermeatup) Even the menu at Kosher MeatUp is quick and to the point By submitting I agree to the privacy policy Jewish Food History From a black market dealings to religious pilgrimages Jewish Breakfast Recipes fun takes prove cottage cheese is anything but old-school Global Jewish Food packed with cheese and naturally hametz-free Péterfy Sándor Street is named after a person who was already called the "Father of teachers" during his own life and this epithet was also immortalised in periodical articles Sándor Péterfy moved to Pest in 1865 (one year after the loss of his wife and only child) to devote his life to his profession - education - and to help his colleagues prosper He was one of the key people in the organisation of education during the Dualism era: in addition to being a class teacher and then principal at the Deák Square Lutheran elementary school Portraits of Sándor Péterfy over time: (left) from the 34th Issue of 1878 of Vasárnapi Ujság; (in the middle) from the 28th Issue of 1896 of the Néptanítók lapja; (right) and from the 34th Issue of Vasárnapi Ujság of 1913 (Source: Arcanum) he initiated the creation of the Eötvös Foundation which became a self-help and advocacy association for the country's teachers The organisation was a support for many poorer teachers and their families but it also served other charitable purposes and a year later the street where he lived was named after him This is how Óvoda Street in Erzsébetváros became Péterfy Sándor Street Sándor Péterfy received an ornamental grave in 1917 (left) in the Fiumei Road National Cemetery gave a speech (right) (Source of images: FSZEK/Budapest Archives) Péterfy Sándor Street is largely located in the quarter known colloquially as Csikágó [Chicago This is today's quarter bounded by Dózsa György Road There are two assumptions about the origin of the name: according to one this neighbourhood was built up so quickly from scratch the like of which could only be seen in big cities in the United States at the time - and it was indeed one of the fastest growing and populous areas of Budapest at the end of the 19th century According to the other assumption (similar to the American Chicago) the neighbourhood was characterised by deplorable public safety densely built-up quarter in Külső-Erzsébetváros: its four border streets and two public squares are marked in yellow The line of Péterfy Sándor Street is marked in white (Source: Google Earth) is one of the lesser-known features of Budapest's architectural heritage: its residential buildings do not for the most part reflect the splendour that characterises the inner-city rental palaces but the decoration of many facades and inner courtyards reveals similar solutions A familiar "Csikágó" scenery in Péterfy Sándor Street: an alternation of well-kept and neglected Dualism-era buildings patched-up roads - the decoration of the facades bears the hallmarks of the era (Photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) This place is the empire of turn-of-the-century houses with hanging corridors: balcony-like circular corridors snake above the inner courtyards These corridors lead to the entrances of the apartments on the upper floors but this is also where the residents of the house used to converse with each other Many local residential buildings were left to decay for decades The more fortunate ones have since been restored but even the majority of the neglected houses are still standing - only a few have been demolished since the Monarchy did not escape the judgement of history - it was demolished in the 2000s The eponymous Péterfy Sándor lived in the opposite house at 41 Photo from 1957 (Source: Fortepan/Uvaterv) View of life at the corner of Péterfy Sándor Street and Nefelejcs Street: people preparing for a parade with balloons and flowers on the cobblestone road on 1 May 1969 (Source: Fortepan) The best-known establishment on the street is the main building of the Péterfy Hospital The institution was originally built as the Private Employees' Insurance Institute's [Magánalkalmazottak Biztosító Intézete - MABI] hospital It was completed in 1934 according to the plans of architect Dr Dezső Hültl Photographs of the completed MABI hospital (today's Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital) (left) and its main entrance (right) in the July 1934 issue of Tér és Forma (Source: Arcanum) A closer look at the four marble statues above the main entrance (Source: Wikimedia Commons) the building was expanded with the construction of the headquarters of MABI - it was no longer designed by Dezső Hültl yet the person walking down the street can get the impression that the two buildings are twins places the founding document at the laying of the foundation stone of the MABI headquarters on 17 November 1940 (Source: FSZEK/Budapest Archives) The building complex extended with the MABI headquarters (far right) in a picture from 1969 (Source: Fortepan/Main Photo) it was considered one of the most modernly equipped hospitals in the capital One of the insurgents' resistance centres was here The hospital of the revolution: plaque next to the car entrance and poster above the entrance door (Photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) Péterfy Sándor Street is the only street in the Csikágó quarter that continues beyond the boundaries of the quarter Here stands the building that gave the street its previous name (Óvoda Street) the former State Kindergarten Teacher Training Institute The kindergarten teacher training institute in 1940 at the intersection of Rózsák Square (left) and Péterfy Sándor Street (right) (Source: FSZEK/Budapest Archives) The building was completed in 1876 based on the design work of József Pucher and operated according to its original purpose until 1952 The light of the morning sun greets the still shady Péterfy Sándor Street facade of the building which was restored this year (Photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) The street runs along the southern edge of Rózsák Square built according to the plans of Imre Steindl can be seen photographed from the same spot on Péterfy Sándor Street it was completely visible but today it can be found "wrapped in a green robe" (Left photo source: Fortepan; right photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) The line of the street is also embellished by the warehouse building of the former Haggenmacher brewery in the capital in the area purchased by a family of Swiss origin the houses standing there were given a uniform facade A crowd of people applying for military service in Péterfy Sándor Street on 1 August 1914 a small part of the warehouse building of the Haggenmacher Kőbányai and Budafoki Breweries Joint Stock Company the former brewery warehouse is at the intersection of Péterfy Sándor Street (left) and Huszár Street (right) the patron saint of firefighters and brewers watches over the corner of the building (Photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) The western terminus of Péterfy Sándor Street is at the Erzsébet Szegényház [Elizabeth Almshouse] (today Erzsébet Hospital) Photo after 1890 of the Elizabeth Almshouse To the left is Alsó Erdősor Street (Source: Fortepan/Budapest Archives) The first wing of the almshouse was designed by József Hild and built in 1856 The southern wing along Péterfy is already a later extension of the institution which today belongs to the Péterfy Hospital the capital's cobblestone roads have dwindled but the western end of Péterfy Sándor Street still preserves these memories of the past To the left is the south wing of today's Erzsébet Hospital (Photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) The eastern end of Péterfy Sándor Street is located at Garay Square which used to be a traditional market square but today it is the site of a modern indoor market and department store The square is surrounded by houses from the Dualism era from all directions (Photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) Péterfy Sándor Street – like the entire Külső-Erzsébetváros – is an integral part of the turn-of-the-century architectural heritage that makes the Hungarian capital known worldwide In addition to the buildings in the catchment area of the Danube and Andrássy Avenue these lesser-known neighbourhoods also deserve similar care and heritage protection The meeting of a weathered past and an encouraging future: some of the residential buildings on the street have been renovated this year but there is still much to be done (Photo: Dávid Mészáros/pestbuda.hu) Sándor Péterfy's portrait and signature from the 2nd booklet of the Magyar Paedagogiai Szemle of 1880 the buildings of the Péterfy Sándor Street hospital from the July 1934 issue of Tér és Forma © 2025 Látóhatár Kiadó Lap-és Könyvkiadó Kft The green area of the square will be expanded In connection with Klauzál Square's renovation the local government of Erzsébetváros will launch a public tender for the creation of a memorial to be erected in the square it will not necessarily be a sculpture: it could be a work of fine art Render of the renewed Klauzál Square (Source: erzsebetvaros.hu) Klauzál Square is one of the largest central squares in Erzsébetváros It has been the site of several events over the past centuries As the Local Council notes in the announcement the design tender aims to create an emblematic public space work that reflects on the tragic events of the Pest ghetto in a way accessible in the 21st century The judges will place great emphasis on the artistic concept Klauzál Square from above (Source: erzsbetvaros.hu) There is no restriction on the material used to create the work but the design must consider that the chosen material be suitable for permanent outdoor installation There is no stipulation about the work's size but the work must fit into the structure of the site Artists may also nominate an earlier plan submitted for another competition if it has not been implemented.  Applications must be submitted by 30 June 2021 The renders of the judges' selections will be made public and subject to social debate.  The memorial is scheduled to inaugurate in the spring of 2022 which occupied most of the Belső-Erzsébetváros was ordered by the Szálasi government on 29 November 1944 and lasted until 17 January 1945 Cover photo: Render of the renewed Klauzál Square (Source: erzsbetvaros.hu) Just across the street is a giant Rubik’s Cube an invention created by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Near Keleti station is a huge mural celebrating Miksa Róth the top Hungarian mosaicist and stained-glass artist from the late 19th and early 20th centuries On Klauzál tér is a photo-realistic mural known as the Greengrocer It depicts a real grocer – Zsuzsa néni – whose shop faces the mural itself and darling neighbourhood scenes like a couple enjoying sunshine on their balcony This was part of a massive wall-painting project in District VII also responsible for the Alice in Wonderland-like painting by Dan Ferrer on Kertész utca you find everything from historical monuments to large-scale works of art and some of the city's most memorable nightspots It's easy to see why District VII is one of the first places which visitors go to see and one of the last they ever want to leave which served as the basis of the quite popular leisure center in Erzsébetváros decades ago the main entrance of the building is at 6 Almássy Square and the back entrance is at 24 Szövetség Street only then reversed: the one-storey residential building faced Szövetség Street which was continuously expanded with apartments and workshops towards the Almássy Square side of the plot Almássy Square seen from Almássy Street around 1894 photographed by György Klösz (Source: Fortepan / Budapest Archives with a bowling alley in the middle of the courtyard and this wine bar operated even in the 1940s The building that once stood here was demolished in the 1960s and the Public Cleaning Office moved to the vacant lot The Almássy Square Leisure Center was built on the former vacant lot (Source: Fortepan / No.: 205211) The 7th District council decided in 1976 to build a pioneer house in the area this was  one of the most significant public cultural investments in the 6th five-year plan The building was designed by architects Éva Straub Zoltán Jakab and interior designer Pál Somogyi: they created a so-called “open house” the furniture and furnishings were designed to be movable the rooms to be changed and connected.  Almássy Square in Erzsébetváros nowadays (Photo: Balázs Both / pestbuda.hu)    The foundation stone of the house was laid in May 1978 and it was built with the Hungarian-developed elevator-form at which the slabs were made from top to bottom the area was also renewed: the adjacent buildings were renovated and Almássy Street was turned into a pedestrian street nearly 5,000-square-foot building was finally handed over on 7-8 May 1983 with a festive show The official name of the institution was Pioneer and Youth House but even then it was typically mentioned as Almássy Square Leisure Center The Almássy Square Leisure Center was opened in 1983 in 2007 the property was sold by the Erzsébetváros municipality (Photo: Balázs Both / pestbuda.hu) four-lane learning pool welcomed the guests on the first floor there was a theatre and reading room for 400 people on the second floor there were art circles - the Erzsébetváros Gallery operated here as well -  on the third there were the programmes for children and a so-called 'kondícionálóterem' (a gym) while the fourth had a state-of-the-art training room and a tea room and there were also a disco on the roof terrace The engineering was placed on the top level or rather an atrium covered with a glass roof where it was possible to hold theatrical performances and concerts The capacity of the building was 1,000 people Almássy Street was transformed into a pedestrian street (Photo: Balázs Both / pestbuda.hu) The first years were spent searching for a way the center had to create its own image and clientele young people in galleries and retirees at the same time the Buda Youth Park (Várkert Bazár) soon closed so the centre served not only the entertainment of the area From the empty main hall of the institution the popular Who Knows What performances and exhibitions followed each other A series of gerontological lectures was organized for the elderly and in 1986 the “Kid Castle” was launched for children the cultic bandsof the 80's and the Téka táncház [folk dance events] also started from here Although the popularity of houses of culture declined after the change of regime the series of successes in “Almássy” lasted for another fifteen years Although this had a long history: on 10 April 1983 the paper Új Tükör wrote about construction problems it could be read in the magazine Népművelés that the building did not meet safety requirements although at the time of handover everyone thought “a small Pompidou in Pest was established” it was suggested that the centre should be closed and privatized instead of a costly renovation but this did not yet take place in 2000 - nor did the renovation more and more could be heard about the static problems of the building for which the shutter-lifting technology used and poor construction were blamed the Great Hall had to be closed and events attracting crowds had to be diverted Rear facade of the former Almássy Square Leisure Center facing Szövetség Street (right) (Photo: Balázs Both / pestbuda.hu) was completed in three stages by June 2005 the center was characterized by a vibrant life the cost of maintaining the building increased to such an extent that in April 2007 the Board of Representatives decided to sell it The buyer was a real estate company that wanted to carve a four-star 87-room hotel out of the former leisure center this plan was swept away by the 2008 global economic crisis a nightclub was opened in the building in 2010 and two years later the question of converting it into a hotel arose again The renovation of property at 6 Almássy Square has now been put on the agenda again: Almássy Invest Zrt founded in 2018 submitted an application to the Department of Construction and Heritage Protection of the Goverment Office of Budapest for a building permit for the expansion and transformation of the building to a hotel Cover photo: The building of the former leisure center on Almássy Square (Photo: Balázs Both / pestbuda.hu) Efforts to improve trolleybus circulation in Budapest’s inner district of Erzsébetváros (District VII) are entering a new phase Following the near-completion of works on Dohány Street changes to the parking system are now being implemented on Wesselényi and Nefelejcs Streets according to the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) The goal of the ongoing investment—coordinated by BKK in partnership with the District VII local government Budapest’s Climate and Transport Committee and Budapest Közút—is to eliminate obstructions along key trolleybus routes that have caused frequent delays in the past According to BKK construction began on 5 May as part of the second phase of the project targeting sections of Wesselényi Street (between numbers 22 and Akácfa Street) and Nefelejcs Street The current diagonal (45-degree) parking will be replaced with parallel parking This change is designed to prevent improperly parked cars from blocking trolleybuses and to ensure that sidewalks are accessible—especially for people using strollers or wheelchairs and Nefelejcs Streets have become notorious for service disruptions Even a car protruding just 20–30 cm into the roadway can cause significant delays for trolleybuses that transport hundreds of passengers per hour trolleys were blocked more than 700 times in these areas the trolley route has already been cleared thanks to the elimination of parking on the right side of the road and a turning lane was created at the Síp Street intersection to improve car traffic flow The left-side parking lane remains in place these improvements not only support faster and more reliable public transport for nearly 20,000 daily trolleybus users but also contribute to a more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly urban environment Read more about public transport changes in the capital HERE ” A new bike lane has been added” Funny how that was slipped in so casually… they have put in a bicycle track that is used by The road is not any more passable for trolleybuses than it used to be because the bicycle track occupies almost half the roadway As for the residents who lost half their parking capacity The globalist-socialist-fascist puppets have their paymasters’ agenda to implement – and if those agenda run contrary to the interests of ordinary people and website in this browser for the next time I comment Y"},"category":false,"taxonomy":{"active":false,"name":"category"}},"markup":{"custom_html":true,"wpp-start":"","wpp-end":"<\/ul>","title-start":"","title-end":"<\/h2>","post-html":"{thumb} {title} {stats}<\/span>{excerpt}<\/p><\/li>"},"theme":{"name":""}} You have successfully joined our subscriber list SupportUs Newsletter © 2025 DailyNewsHungary | All rights reserved Walking through the twisted streets of Inner Erzsébetváros people will notice that on weekdays they hear far more foreign words than Hungarian: the sight of tourists walking drinking coffee and hurrying with suitcases is much more common here than in other parts of Pest The built environment around here has retained its specific character even in spite of being the "party district" here the irregularity comes together into a system: a variety of architectural styles twisted streets of often varying width and paving and houses of different heights characterise the area the closed row construction (where the facades of the houses standing on the side of the street meet and form a kind of wall) is often broken here: the street fronts are interrupted by numerous courtyards and smaller buildings several large-scale plans were created for the radical transformation of the neighbourhood including one that would have replaced the existing buildings with a wide boulevard and modern houses reminiscent of today's housing estates but fortunately none of the plans came to fruition The hotel will occupy a significant part of the street section the opposite buildings will also disappear (Photo: Péter Bukovszki/pestbuda.hu) is a two-faced thing: on the one hand (without awareness it can also preserve values that development would otherwise have swept away a long time ago: think of a gate that was accidentally left behind or an original window that was not replaced due to lack of money tripping-hazardous sidewalks do not in any way contribute to the improvement of the cityscape the many neglected buildings and the increased tourist traffic have attracted investments to Inner Erzsébetváros that radically transform the atmosphere of the area 40-48 Kazinczy Street will look like this from the same angle This is also the case with the hotel which is huge in relation to its surroundings and which is planned to be located at 40-48 Kazinczy Street 270-room hotel is planned to be built on the 3,347-square-metre property created by combining the five lots which now belongs to the same topographical number (34167) Together with the two underground floors and the mechanical superstructure located on the roof the ten-story building makes maximum use of the maximum permitted height of 24.6 metres according to the ÉTDR system (the electronic documentation system supporting building permission processes) no decision has yet been made about the building permit submitted on 1 April 2022 until the publication of Pestbuda's article the 7th District Local Council already gave the green light to the investment on 21 September (the representative body accepted the installation study and authorised the mayor to conclude the town planning contract) there will be shops and catering facilities on the street front part the investor must also renovate the street section (Source: visual design/erzsebetvaros.hu) on the ground floor of the building designed by the responsible designer Örs Tömösi in addition to the hotel's lobby and restaurant there will also be business premises (bars and restaurants) and there will be parking lots on the two underground levels which will partially be given over to public traffic they will not only be used by hotel guests the plane of the facade will be slightly retracted on the fifth and sixth floors where "special rooms" with roof terraces will be created which is also mentioned in the town planning contract that the lower part of the facade of the future hotel will be more emphasised is that "the ground floor and first floor of the eclectic buildings found in the area are typically given an accented which is followed by the facade of the planned building This ensures that the building blends into the streetscape and the urban area" trees will also be planted in front of the building in connection with the investment (the contract requires only 3 trees which can be replaced with potted trees if justified) as well as continuous green areas will be created in the inner courtyard and on the roof of the house which is slightly set back from the street front somewhat offsets the considerable mass of the house (Source: visual design/erzsebetvaros.hu) It is also clear from the town planning contract that the investor will also be obliged to renovate a part of Kazinczy Street and replace its current pavement "with a decorative pavement suitable for both reduced vehicle and pedestrian traffic" which according to the current plans will be basalt or andesite cobblestone and the road will be raised to the level of today's sidewalk the work affects an area of 1,544 square metres on Kazinczy Street means the section between Király Street and Dob Street.  The demolition permit of the investor is valid for the steel-glass building of the Hungarian Dance Academy at 42-46 Kazinczy Street and for its neighbour The history of the plot complex contains several interesting facts which later became known as the First Hungarian Steam Bath wrote about the bath in his work entitled Description of Buda-Pest Royal Free Cities published in 1852 as follows: Scheiber's steam bath in Kis-kereszt-Street in Terézváros deserves a special mention here where you can find general and separate bathrooms for both men and women which leave nothing to be desired in terms of practical and decorative equipment and the doctors' needs perfectly meet the needs of the audiences of the two twin cities The benevolent owner hands out over 40-50 free tickets to the city's chief physician every month for distribution among the poor galvano-electric machines are set up so that they can be used in the bath by an expert doctor there Scheibl's steam bath advertisement in the 6 December 1857 issue of Vasárnapi Ujság It is interesting that the front page of the newspaper featured Ferenc Kazinczy after whom Kiskereszt Street got its current name in 1879 The successor to the well-equipped bath was still in operation during World War II and was demolished at the end of the 1960s (together with the building on the next plot at 42-46) to build the steel-glass cube building of the Hungarian Dance Academy But it is not expected to last much longer: the demolition permit for the buildings at 40-48 Kazinczy Street was issued years ago (according to ÉTDR three demolition permits have been in force for the area since 2020 In the building still standing at number 48 the Scmolka salami factory operated from 1908 If the investment receives the still missing permits and the crisis does not interfere the image of an entire section of Kazinczy Street will change in the future A stark steel-glass building that does not even fit into its surroundings will disappear so the characteristic crowdedness of the area is expected to increase even further Cover photo: Design render of the future hotel (Source: erzsebetvaros.hu) The local government of Budapest’s Erzsébetváros (VII district) implemented a significant parking fee increase for residents starting 1st January The changes raised the annual fee for the first vehicle from HUF 2,100 (EUR 5.2) to HUF 36,000 (EUR 90) and for the second vehicle to HUF 72,000 (EUR 180) This move was part of a broader effort to address the district’s growing parking congestion District mayor Péter Niedermüller justified the decision by pointing out that Erzsébetváros had become overcrowded with vehicles He highlighted that the number of officially registered cars exceeded available parking spaces and that approximately 19-20% of public spaces in the district were occupied by parked cars Niedermüller also noted that these spaces were often used at little to no cost effectively requiring the municipality to subsidise parking for car owners According to 444.hu the October vote saw opposition from Fidesz representatives who questioned the intended use of the estimated HUF 400 million (EUR 1 million) annual revenue from the increased fees The mayor responded that the funds would be allocated towards road improvements and green space expansion as green areas currently make up only 6% of the district Recent data released by Niedermüller indicates that the policy is having its intended effect The number of residential parking permits issued for first vehicles has dropped by 27% while second-vehicle permits have declined by over 30% including those issued to businesses and institutions the total number of permits fell from 9,296 last year to 7,481 Niedermüller emphasised two key reasons behind the reform he reiterated that Erzsébetváros had reached full capacity in terms of parking he stressed that reducing the number of cars was also an environmental necessity as the excessive number of vehicles negatively impacted both air quality and the urban landscape He also pointed out that an inefficiently subsidised parking system disproportionately affects residents who do not own cars Erzsébetváros is not alone in its efforts to curb car use. Other districts in Budapest, as well as cities across Hungary, are gradually restricting free parking privileges for green-plated vehicles. As 444.hu wrote back in November exemptions now come with specific conditions but Mayor Gergely Karácsony has signalled his intent to introduce restrictions and non-local vehicles taking advantage of the system Mayor László Csőzik pointed out that the number of commuters from Érd to Budapest has surged by 164% since 2001 The city’s ongoing parking reform aims to address these challenges While debates continue over who should be responsible for building P+R facilities the reform package does not currently include such plans it focuses on key regulatory changes over the coming years According to the leadership of Erzsébetváros the area surrounded by the Rottenbiller Street – Damjanich Street – Bethlen Gábor Street – Dembinszky Street is a rust zone that needs renewal creating new green spaces and renewing the buildings under monumental protection in the area The gigantic Liget City Project will be one of Budapest’s biggest construction initiatives when it starts According to Építészfórum gave the green light to start the so-called Liget City Project according to the district’s chief architect that only means some legal work to unite the parcels and create an area for construction the district’s Democratic Coalition (former PM Gyurcsány’s party) mayor said they aimed to renew that neglected zone and create buildings attracting new residents to move in the local council agreed to modify relevant agreements and unite the construction parcels The long-term plan is to create approximately 375 new apartments a new playground and EUR 800,000 paid by the investor to the local government as city development subsidy to renew neighbouring streets and create more green spaces The project started in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought it to a complete halt because public consultations could not be carried out. That’s what the local councillor of Színes Erzsébetváros (Colourful Elizabethtown) slammed in the first place after last year’s decision Béla Lajos said the project’s socialisation and public consultations were unsuccessful The local representatives of PM Orbán’s Fidesz criticised the Liget City Project due to the low number of apartments and parking places planned to be built They said there should be fewer office buildings and more apartments and garages available for the residents and future residents They also said the investor should pay a higher city development subsidy According to Építészfórum, the area affected is 45 thousand sqm, and there would be a dormitory and several buildings for apartments, shops and offices, as well, which the mayor forgot to mention in his relevant post The University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest is close to the project’s venue which is probably why they plan to build a dormitory They added that some of the buildings in the area are under monumental protection and The roofs of the new buildings would be green The project received the green light with the support of the councillors of the DK-Momentum-Socialists-Dialogue for Hungary the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party and Színes Erzsébetváros did not support the plans Péter Niedermüller and his coalition enjoy a solid majority in the city council The rehabilitation of the area started in the summer of 2020 with the dismantling of several ruined store and office buildings on Rottenbiller Street the Hungarian government designated the territory as a “rust belt action area” Apartment blocks where you’re crammed in with 100 other apartments you look out the window and there’s another apartment block (apparently from the sketched) 20 feet away Go out into the ‘burbs or even the country the Municipality of Erzsébetváros approved a substantial increase in parking fees Residents will have to pay an annual parking fee of HUF 36,000 (EUR 90) for the first car and HUF 72,000 (EUR 180) for the second car The reason behind the change is straightforward: free or low parking fees encourage car traffic which diminishes the livability of districts According to the signatories of the proposal parking charges should be proportional to the use of public spaces The goal is to motivate residents to seek alternative parking options and to ensure the maintenance of public spaces while creating green areas explained that Erzsébetváros is overcrowded with cars and the current local parking fee for residents is merely symbolic According to Index the Fidesz government opposed the decision referring to it as a punitive tax and pointing out that the municipality is facing significant financial challenges Mayor Péter Niedermüller defended the increase explaining that the district’s parking spaces were overburdened He noted that 9,450 parking permits had been issued to residents while there were only 7,203 parking spaces available—resulting in an average of 1.3 cars per parking space The results of the vote on the parking fee increase were as follows: the four-member Fidesz faction voted against Elizabeth City limited households to two parking permits and altered discounts for second cars reducing discounted permits from 1,142 to 610 The city also established residential parking reserving 30% of spaces for permit holders from 6 PM to 7 AM further development of this initiative is on hold highlighted the social and health impacts of over-subsidized parking including reduced green spaces and rising air pollution which is linked to increasing asthma cases while free public parking remains more attractive to residents Erzsébetváros is not the first district to raise parking fees Other districts are likely waiting to see the public reaction to the newly approved changes in Erzsébetváros and it is possible that this could lead to similar adjustments in parking fees elsewhere The impact of these changes can be viewed in two ways: financially it may be beneficial for districts to raise parking fees but this could come at the cost of public outrage from residents depending on which concerns weigh more heavily is frequented by many tourists all year round the Hungarian government has found that public safety is so poor on the popular party site that intervention on the part of authorities is now absolutely necessary “the Government has examined the public security situation in Inner-Erzsébetváros and on the basis of this examination has concluded that the public security situation in Inner-Erzsébetváros with particular attention to events held in and around the Gozsdu Courtyard in Budapest The government set out a twofold task: Minister of National Economy Márton Nagy has been tasked to “examine the possibility of establishing a new police station in the area of Inner-Erzsébetváros District VII of Budapest.” In connection with this Interior Minister Sándor Pintér must ensure that the police force needed to strengthen public security in the party district is adequate Both tasks must be completed by 15 June 2024 The decision is signed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán The full issue of the Hungarian Gazette is available HERE has already called for more police officers in these high-traffic party areas Niedermüller pointed out that under the previous administration there was virtually “no regulation of the so-called party district,” as decision-makers tried to avoid any backlash or scandal over possible tightening of rules Niedermüller believes his office has consciously taken on a new role one that aims to rid the party district of the negative image that it often carries As for the announcement in the Hungarian Gazette, ATV quoted Niedermüller’s statement on the issue who wrote that they have been urging similar steps to ensure the safety of the party district going back as far as 2019 He asserted that while “it is regrettable that we had to wait so long for these big realisations [on the part of the government] and the upcoming elections may have something to do with the sudden enlightenment” they are still ready to cooperate with the government I asked the head of our municipal company responsible for property management to check whether we have any municipal properties in Inner-Erzsébetváros that might be suitable for this purpose we will offer it to the police free of charge and even contribute to the maintenance costs,” Niedermüller wrote adding that they will also offer service apartments to the police Dávid Vitézy, mayoral candidate for Budapest, also commented on the news. He wrote on his social media page, “You can’t walk through the streets of the party district in Erzsébetváros in the evening without being repeatedly called down by drug dealers and stepping into urine puddles – this is surely untenable and unworthy of Budapest.” He continued: “That is why I am glad that the government has decided to increase the police force in the area It would have been better if the government had not only remembered to do this during the campaign season and I hope that the police attention will continue after the elections.” The place is a sty but what’s the point of more police when the courts just release those arrested on bail or even just on own recognizance?! A Budapest district would ban alcohol sales after 10 pm in the Hungarian capital’s party district You can’t buy alcohol after 10 pm in many shops already but soon you won’t be able to buy it in National Tobacco Shops either The politician added that alcoholic beverages bought in National Tobacco Stores are often consumed on the street in front of the shops This disturbs the peace and quiet of the people who live there which is why the district would further tighten the ban on alcohol consumption in public places “We believe that further regulation is needed to discourage the consumption of alcohol in public places and we will therefore take the initiative at the district level to ensure that tobacco shops are subject to the same rules as all other businesses,” the district said in a statement I do not understand the need to get hammered in order to have a good time but penalizing everybody for the actions of a few is never the answer then deal with those who cause such disturbances rather than abridge the liberties of EVERYONE The party district of Erzsébetváros has long been a battleground of conflicting interests The ongoing debate involves the local government each fighting for their vision of a harmonious coexistence How are business owners and residents in Budapest’s party district reacting to the regulations cover various facets of pub and restaurant activities establishments must now employ their own security guards maintain cleanliness in front of their premises face license revocation after three offences and endure potential extended closing hours The regulation extends beyond pubs and restaurants Shops face a prohibition on alcohol sales between 10.00 p.m coupled with mandatory closures during these hours Electric scooters are banned from pavements and dog walkers must carry waste bags and water One of the most significant provisions of the ordinance is the cap on the number of establishments permitted to stay open between midnight and 6.00 a.m this cap was instituted when approximately one hundred and ninety bars already held licenses Although existing businesses face no threat the regulation prompts inquiries regarding the potential establishment of new businesses Ábel Zsendovits views the regulation as a market restriction He questions why individuals meeting the criteria should be barred from opening new pubs The co-owner of Szimpla Kert also expresses concern that the measures disproportionately affect smaller venues (with capacities up to 100-150 people) imposing additional costs for security and street cleaning I have watched various establishments incompetently attempt to respond to certain problems usually in the form of prohibitive or restrictive regulations and it brings no relief for residents or business owners Speculations about pub owners auctioning licenses have surfaced asserting that special opening hours licenses are non-transferable Authorities issue licenses only when all specified conditions are met The ordinance from October has not been without criticism the independent municipal representative of the Liveable Erzsébetváros Association asserts that the regulation lacks prior consultation with the community and introduces conditions that penalise smaller venues reinforcing the dominance of larger establishments supporting certain aspects of the regulation particularly the emphasis on street cleaning certain aspects of the regulations remain ambiguous the ordinance addresses responsibilities of security guards vaguely leaving uncertainties regarding qualifications the future implications of these regulations on the nightlife of Erzsébetváros remain uncertain leaving both business owners and residents in anticipation Sounds like a positive start to a solution Dog feces can get pretty bad at times in the 6th and 7th other times it seems people have been more responsible The scooters should never be on the sidewalk Some of them travel faster than cars are able in dense areas So many times I’ve had a scooter ride past me and nearly knock me over But this isn’t just a 7th district problem Scooter(and bike) rules need to be implemented the same everywhere in order to avoid confusion And rental companies need to educate riders if new rules come into play bars are liable for so many huf per sq meter this would go to the district for street/sidewalk cleaning I do not see how this regulation would improve the living condition of the residents human urine and vomit and animal poop are a problem The noise and human wastes are a direct cause of the pub patrons then either the polluter or pub should pay to clean the neighborhood Regulating Budapest’s party district has been in the spotlight all year but now only 1/3 of them requested permits to remain open Budapest’s party district is the general area of Erzsébetváros the General Assembly of Erzsébetváros passed a silence decree in July which regulates the opening hours at night more strictly than ever before The decree influences the life of business owners and workers in the district who opposed the regulation early on by protesting The need for more serious regulations has been evident for a while Residents of Erzsébetváros have been outraged by the situation in the party district since 2017 Their main concerns are the noise and waste left behind by drunks mostly tourists who only come to Budapest to blow off steam bars are not allowed to let their guests drink and shout in public spaces they must allow everybody to use their restrooms and they cannot load up stuff during the night they must measure the noise levels and clean the street where they operate Business owners were outraged by the new decree They claimed that the party district “lost its life to the last wound received from headless district ordinances and public conditions.” However a surprisingly low number of establishments have applied for the special permit allowing them to remain open between 12 am and 6 am Data from the district’s city hall reveals that altogether 138 establishments requested the permit  Over half of them (72) were already granted it and the rest are currently remedying the deficiencies in their applications This is only one-third of all the establishments in the party district There are many possible reasons why two-thirds of the establishments have not requested a permit Probably many of these are still dealing with the aftermath of the first wave of coronavirus infections and most of them are likely preparing for a possible second wave we need to move from mass tourism to class tourism (we need more cruise tourism conferences etc.)… limiting noise and cheap alcohol parties is a step in the right direction… Oh dear oh dear Gary: What has happened to your english ‘in it’s un-finished…’ should b ‘ in its unfinished’ ‘in there economies’ – there??? Perhaps I should proof read for you before you post #Albert: An interesting case study would be an area known as Shoreditch That became almost overnight a trendy ‘party’ and club area the problems associated with that hitting residents like a tsunami back in circa 2000 A whole range of policies had to be developed very quickly by the local authority (Hackney Council) These measures greatly improved the situation for all concerned and Shoreditch has retained its vibrant nightlife and remains a tourist magnet as well as being much used by Londoners