Citadella’s new look and opening date announced
The Citadel on Gellért Hill in Budapest is in the final stages of renovation and will reopen its doors to the public.
The restoration of the Citadel is nearing completion, as indicated by the start of the planting of new vegetation. The inner courtyard of the fortress will be transformed into a park of 6,000 square metres, where fifty-nine ornamental trees and shrubs will be planted.
The Citadel’s green space will increase by one and a half times
The National Hauszmann Programme has announced on its Facebook page that the final stage of the Citadel’s restoration, the landscaping of the Citadel, has begun. The next steps include the planting of almonds, ornamental cherries, ornamental apples, Judas trees and magnolias, as well as dendrological rarities such as grey maples and Persian witch hazel.
Most of the trees are 20-year-old pre-grown specimens that can weigh up to three hundred kilograms. They have a terrestrial soil ball, so they could only be lifted to their final position by a crane. The trees can also be planted in the snowy winter period, when the plant is dormant and has time to prepare for spring budding. In addition to the new planting, the gardeners are also looking after the old pomegranate tree at Citadel.
Roses, lavender, runners and vines will be planted around the woody shrubs in the inner courtyard, the walkway around the fortress and the Castle Hill. As the experts of the National Hauszmann Programme have written, the plants were selected with the main aim of providing an aesthetic view in the four seasons. Species were chosen that are richly flowered in spring and summer and have interesting stems and fruits in the post-deciduous season.
The Citadel’s park is designed with sustainability in mind, budapest.hu reports. An irrigation system will be installed throughout the entire area, with water supplied by a dedicated rainwater storage tank. The flat roofs will be converted into green roofs and drought-tolerant plant beds will be placed in the areas highly exposed to the sun.
The interior of the fortress and the surrounding walkways will offer visitors spectacular features such as carefully mown lawns and colourful flowerbeds, which will blend harmoniously with the historic setting of the Citadel. By the end of the works, the green area is expected to have increased by one and a half times to 20,000 square metres.
It’s not just vegetation that’s being renewed
The regeneration of the Citadel is not just about green spaces, but also about expanding community spaces and creating new attractions. The inner public park between the fortress walls will feature a café, an ice-cream parlour and a gift shop, making it a convenient place to relax and recharge.
One of the most exciting developments is the opening of an exhibition in the cannon tower entitled “The Bastion of Freedom”, which will tell the story of the Hungarian struggle for freedom. The exhibition will commemorate Hungary’s historic turning points in a unique way and is a fitting tribute to the heroes of the past.
One of the Citadel’s most iconic features, the Statue of Liberty, will also be renewed, Helló Magyar writes. The terrace around the statue will be given a new look, offering even more impressive views of the city. The new terrace is part of an effort to enhance the Citadel’s historical importance and its tourist appeal.
Visitors will be able to walk inside the Citadel walls and enjoy the openness of the renewed north and south gates, which will make the fortress even more accessible. The improvements are expected to be completed by early 2026.
As we wrote earlier, Hungary’s largest national flag dominates Budapest from the Citadel! – details, PHOTOS