Restoration progresses on Budapest’s iconic building
A new Facebook post has shared updates on the restoration of the Honvéd General Headquarters in Budapest. Plastering has begun on the façade along Színház Street, using a specially developed blend and shade tailored for the building.
Budapest’s well-known historical building under renovations
According to the Nemzeti Hauszmann Program, the cladding material is designed to be durable, highly resistant to weather conditions, and capable of retaining its color long term.
Because no original photographs or samples survive, experts aimed to select a color that harmonizes with the façade’s carved decorative elements made from Süttő limestone, while subtly accentuating them against the plastered surface.
On the western central projection’s short wall segment, the shell-patterned niche sculpture is already completed, and above it, the decorative element featuring the Slavonia coat of arms has also been installed. The building’s most striking northern elements facing Dísz Square—its colonnade and tympanum—are set to be mounted later this year.
On the ground floor of the southern wing, workers have completed the installation of carved ashlar blocks, and the first sample window is now in place. According to the post, work is also progressing well in the basement areas, where more mechanical systems are being installed and the construction of restrooms is advancing steadily.
The Honvéd General Headquarters was originally designed by Mór Kallina in the late 19th century. During World War II, the building sustained serious—but not irreparable—damage. Although the dome remained intact after the fighting, the communist regime later ordered the structure to be demolished down to the first floor for ideological reasons.
Now undergoing a full restoration, the Honvéd General Headquarters will once again open to the public. The building will provide a fitting new home for the Institute and Museum of Military History.
To read or share this article in Hungarian, click here: Helló Magyar
Read more Budapest-related stories on Daily News Hungary!
Read also:
- Budapest plans major overhaul of nighttime public transit
- Major traffic and transit changes in Budapest for 20 August national holiday
- Second BKV bus catches fire in Budapest within 24 hours – UPDATE: Another one!