Past horse railway station wonderfully renewed – Photos
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Some years ago, the horse railway station in the 12th district of Budapest was in a quite devastated state. This has changed a lot since then, as it looks like a spectacular church now, according to Index.hu.
Zugliget has been a popular hiking destination since the 19th century. As it was difficult to get up there, a horse railway was constructed in 1868, which made the hillside accessible from the Chain Bridge’s bridgehead in Buda. Years passed, and the horses were replaced by electricity. A tram was introduced to Zugliget in 1896.
Budapest Public Transport company built a station building at the terminal of the line in 1886. József Kauser’s building consisted of two pavilions: one of them served as a post office, the other was the workers’ house, the dwelling of the stationmaster and the office. The hall in-between was the waiting room for up to 500 people.
The building was built according to that time’s fashion, with Swiss or Alpine style roofs. It looked like a fairy tale house.
The tram network developed at the beginning of the 20th century and the line was extended, so the terminal became a normal station. There was no need for a waiting room for hundreds anymore. The building was turned into a two-story condominium. It served as the housing of the transport company.
The building began to deteriorate after the end of communism in Hungary and the abolishing of the tram line. By the beginning of the new millennium, the walls were covered in graffities, the windows were broken and most of the metal items were stolen. The municipal was advertising it for sale for years in vain. Then they decided to take the matter in their own hands, and began to renovate the building partly from own and partly from state funds.
The added walls were removed and the hall was open once again.
The opened hall was framed with glass walls. The ceiling was covered in roof windows. The useful space decreased, but they managed to compensate for it.
A gallery was added to each sides of the hall, thus giving the room some church atmosphere.
