Iconic buildings in Budapest city centre will be renovated

According to magyarepitok.hu, the government revealed the planned investments concerning the immediate surroundings of the Parliament in a decree recently. The Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Palace of Justice, will get access to a new underground car park after the Museum of Ethnography moves out.

All the historical Hungarian place names together

On Monday, the Hungarian Bulletin revealed that the National Fellowship Memorial would be located in Alkotmány (Constitution) Street that leads to Kossuth Square. Among other things, all the place names of the historical Hungary that were collected in 1913 will be featured here.

Another change that is going to affect Alkotmány Street is that the plans for the construction of an underground car park are replaced by plans to renovate the part between Kossuth Square and Honvéd Street on the ground level.

To cover the costs, the government has promised to dedicate up to 5.08 billion forints (15 487 551.94 EUR) to the projects, between 2018 and 2020.

The Imre Steindl Programme to be extended

The decree also involves the third phase of the Imre Steindl Programme that involves the reconstruction of the building of the Ministry of Agriculture that was approved last year. The newest decree adds plans to construct a new underground car park under the building.

The decree appoints the underground car park to be a development serving both of the neighbouring buildings of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Palace of Justice. Both plans for the car park and the national memorial will be carried out by the Imre Steindl Programme Nonprofit Zrt. It has been revealed that planning and pre-constructing the car park will require an additional 381 million forints (1 178 266.23 EUR).

Ventilation fountain with Museum of Ethnography in background
Photo: latogatokozpont.parlament.hu

The decree also rules that, after the reconstruction of the Ministry of Agriculture’s building, the Ministry of Agriculture as an entity will operate there.

Changes will occur in Vértanúk Square as well

The decree dedicates a whole section for the renovation of Vértanúk Square that is located at the Southern part of Kossuth Square. The square will be reconstructed prioritising pedestrians, especially since this square has been part of the Outstanding National Memorial since February.

The decree also includes plans to make the square a completely car-free zone, save for the BKK buses heading South. In order to arrange this, the exit of the underground car park at Liberty Square will have to be relocated.

Kossuth Square, Museum of Ethnography
Photo: latogatokozpont.parlament.hu

Further points of the decree focus on the renovation of the Justice Palace that has already been ordered two years ago. In order for the plans to come to life before the deadlines, the Museum of Ethnography will have to move out of the building, along with the Institute of Political History. Where these organisations will relocate in the meantime have to be assigned by the president of EMMI.

Some of the investments have already launched

Another crucial element of the reconstruction of Kossuth Square has already begun. This involves the demolishing of the old MTESZ headquarters and building a new office block for the Parliament in its place, following Dezső Hültl’s original plans.

This way, all three buildings located in the southern part of Kossuth Square will have a joint façade. The new building will be connected to the Parliament through a tunnel.

Construction has also started at the Northern end of the square, renovating the building located at 1-5 Bálint Balassi Street. The building established in 1899 will provide headquarters for the entire Parliament Guards. At the top of the building, a residence for the respective house speaker will be created. On the façade of the building and the top floor, the Hungarian Construction ZRT plans to spend 2.3 billion forints (6 194 402.26 EUR). The residence will include 4 bedrooms, an office, a library and an auditorium.

For more news, check out this article about the renovation process of the Chain Bridge.

Featured image: Brick Visual

Source: magyarepitok.hu