Széll Kálmán tér
Széll Kálmán tér (Széll Kálmán Square, formerly known as Moszkva tér or Moscow Square between 1951 and 2011) is a square in Budapest. It is one of the city's busiest transport interchanges (comparable to Móricz Zsigmond körtér farther south), which is served by a station on Metro line 2, tram lines 4, 6, 17, 56, 56A, 59, 59A, 59B, 61 and bus lines 5, 16, 16A, 21, 21A, 22, 22A, 39, 91, 102, 116, 128, 129, 139, 140, 140A, 142, 149, 155, 156, 222.
Several buses head for the popular hiking destinations of the Buda hills so this square (with the classic, old clock above it) is a common meeting place for those going on excursions. It can be considered the centre of Buda, because of its traffic and the several stores around it, including Mammut, a shopping mall. Buda Castle is easily accessible from here, either on foot or by bus lines 16, 16A or 116.
History
The originally anonymous area became Széll Kálmán tér (Széll Kálmán Square) in 1929, named after the Hungarian prime minister Kálmán Széll. Following the Soviet occupation and the Communist takeover in the country, the square was renamed to Moszkva tér in 1951 under the Rákosi regime. Following the fall of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, it was debated whether it should be renamed again to the original Széll Kálmán, but initially the name remained.
During the first part of the 1956 revolution Soviet troops (who at the time were stationed in the western part of the country, near Székesfehérvár) tried to capture the city, attacking towards this square. This first attempt was unsuccessful and the country was free until the November 1956 Soviet invasion.
On March 26, 2011, the City Council of Budapest, restored the original name of the square, Széll Kálmán tér.[1] In 2011, a renovation of the square was planned, with a budget of three billion forints.[2]
On January 21, 2015, renovations of Széll Kálmán tér began. The reconstruction work was completed in 2016 and introduced a modern design, high quality services and a greener, more integrated public space.
An amount of HUF 5.3 billion, provided from government, EU and municipal funds, is at the disposal of the Municipality of Budapest. The reconstruction work activities will last till the spring of 2016, taking place in several phases, in some cases causing occasional inconveniences related to traffic.
Gallery
47°30′25.50″N 19°01′27.14″E / 47.5070833°N 19.0242056°E / 47.5070833; 19.0242056
See also
- Moscow Square (film) - 2001 film named for the square
References
- v
- t
- e
- I. Várkerület
- II. 2nd district
- III. Óbuda-Békásmegyer
- IV. Újpest
- V. Belváros-Lipótváros
- VI. Terézváros
- VII. Erzsébetváros
- VIII. Józsefváros
- IX. Ferencváros
- X. Kőbánya
- XI. Újbuda
- XII. Hegyvidék
- XIII. 13th district
- XIV. Zugló
- XV. 15th district
- XVI. 16th district
- XVII. Rákosmente
- XVIII. Pestszentlőrinc-Pestszentimre
- XIX. Kispest
- XX. Pesterzsébet
- XXI. Csepel
- XXII. Budafok-Tétény
- XXIII. Soroksár
traditions
- Budapest Business School
- Budapest University of Technology
- Corvinus University
- Eötvös Loránd University
- Hungarian University of Fine Arts
- Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music
- Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design
- National University of Public Service
- Óbuda University
- Semmelweis University
- University of Physical Education
- Academy of Drama and Film
- Andrássy University
- Aquincum Institute of Technology
- Budapest Metropolitan University
- Budapest University of Jewish Studies
- Central European University
- International Business School
- Károli Gáspár University of Reformed Church
- Pázmány Péter Catholic University
- History of Budapest
- Category
External links
- Live webcam onverlooking the square
- Aerial photography of the post office
- Mától új utcaneveket kell megszokniuk a budapestieknek