What is this vintage bench doing in a Budapest M3 metro station?

A vintage bench has been placed in the newly renovated Arany János Metro Station in Budapest. The bench has a special story connected to Hungarian poet Sándor Kányádi.

As renovation work draws to a close on the Budapest M3 metro line, niche, and trivial memorabilia are being put back in place. Hungarian poet Sándor Kányádi’s bench was put back in place, Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony announced on his Facebook page, telex.hu reported.

In his 1983 poem Hiúság (Vanity), Sándor Kányádi wrote that his only desire in life is to have a bench at the Arany János Metro Station. This station bears the name of the 19th-century Hungarian poet.

This wish was fulfilled in 2003 when the Budapest Transport Company (BKV) erected a memorial bench to honour the Kossuth Prize-winning poet.

• Read also: Here is the line-up for the world-famous Sziget Festival

Alongside the underground station, the bench itself was also renovated and was returned to its original place on the platform.

Another unique station

Karácsony wrote that the renovated station has a green roof, with three escalators and an inclined lift to the subway. The concrete benches are similar to those seen in the central and southern stations and are of Hungarian design and manufacture.

Read alsoTime: Budapest is one of world’s greatest places – UPDATED

Making each station different and distinctively recognisable was a top priority for the architects working on the metro line. The Arany János Station has a unique green accent. Also, a pattern of pixels on the surface building and on the platform. This helps orientation and “fits in with the original spirit of the M3 metro” – Karácsony wrote.

As we have previously written, service in the M3 metro line returns to service in its entire line from 20 March. However, renovation work has not yet been finished in the Nagyvárad Square and Lehel Square Metro Stations. Those two stops will be omitted by the trains. Those two stations will be reachable by metro replacement buses.

Source: telex.hu