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Budapest – 25th anniversary of the renovated Great Market Hall! – PHOTOS
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Budapest’s magnificent palace at Fővám Square was designed by Samu Pecz, representing a unique and breathtaking style that fascinates all its visitors. The Great Market Hall has been operating for 122 years with the same purpose – to provide fresh food and beverages to citizens. This year is the 25th anniversary of this special architectural treasure which has become an important tourist attraction as well.
In the 19th century, a new trend emerged in Europe – market halls were established where residents from urban areas could acquire the necessary groceries in one place. Emperor Napoleon can be considered the mastermind of this renewal.
In Budapest, the idea of building market halls cropped up at the end of the 19th century, by which several small markets could be replaced. Charles Kammermayer, chairman of the Public Services Committee, took the task so seriously that he made a study tour around Europe in order to observe other market halls of the continent.
The location of the hall was appointed in 1884 – this was the time when they decided to place the central hall to Fővám Square (formerly Sóház Square). This was followed by long debates about the appropriate location of the building, which came to an end in 1890.
Therefore, the public tender was published only in 1892, which received a total of nine entries. Despite the fact that the public wanted works from domestic designers, the contest became so international that – apart from Hungarian applicants – several Bulgarian, Czech, French, and German architects applied for the tender. After a long, multi-round evaluation, the jury selected the winner: Samu Pecz.
The construction started in June 1894, and in February 1897, the building was opened to customers. The hall had exceptional features – all important warehouses, freight stations, and the Danube bend were in its vicinity.
