Budapest's Finest 2016 winter issue by Budapest Brand Nonprofit Zrt.

2016. Vol. 4. HUF 1 490 EUR 5

the } Engaging Ă&#x161;jbuda } Ringing throughout the year MĂťcsarnok } Reformation 500 turns 120 } Michelin stars in Budapest

The Five Star City G uide

24 19

—

every day

Advent concert featuring Erika Miklósa and the Hungarian december Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra

7 21

dec.

SLEEPING BEAUTY

STREET FOOD,

OMEGA

Christmas fair

Christmas concert

every day

Family programmes every Sunday

Hungarian National Dance Ensemble

dec.

Europe’s largest Advent candles —

ADVENT exhibition

every day

Skating rink

Presser | Sztevanovity | Horváth

THE ATTIC

november

part fairy tale, part musical

ADVENT 2016.11.27. — 12.24. IN THE CASTLE GARDEN BAZAAR

www.varkertbazar.hu

Introduction DEAR READER,

DEAR GUEST,

Anticipation and fulfilment are the perpetual cycle of life. The waiting we experience during Advent is fulfilled first by Christmas and then the New Year – in a very human and personal way. As a society, this is a time when we bring together the treasures of the past and present, while also setting goals for the future. The Budapest Festival and Tourism Center is also committed to preserving tradition, such as the Christmas Market, which we reimagined to ensure that it remains among Europe’s top ten markets year after year. To domestic and international tourists arriving to Budapest, we introduce not only the city’s much-celebrated beauty, but also those treasures that are not always in plain sight. In this issue, we discuss the notable bells found in famous churches, the sounds of which remind us of the holiday atmosphere throughout the year. 2017 will be a remarkable and exciting year as Europe commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, and countless valuable Budapest buildings embody the era’s spirit of renewal. Historians have referred to several periods in Budapest’s history as a “golden era”. The Mûcsarnok Hall, which opened 120 years ago, shines fresh light on one such period in the form of its jubilee exhibition “The First Golden Age”. In 2017 the city will make progress in a number of areas. This time we explore the district of Újbuda, where a cultural high street is forming and university institutions and sporting facilities shape the future while preserving the traditions inextricably linked to the names of Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. The capital and its districts are making every effort to usher in another golden age, as part of which we are also putting our full support behind Budapest’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. With all this in mind, let me wish you a very Merry Christmas and a successful and happy new year!

Allow me to welcome you on the occasion that our five-star magazine Budapest’s Finest has entered its third year. Our aim with this publication is to provide a more comprehensive overview of the Hungarian capital’s tourist and cultural programmes, and to entice ever more people to come enjoy our hospitality.

Teodóra Bán Director of Budapest Festival and Tourism Center

The Hungarian capital is considered one of Central and Eastern Europe’s most beautiful and exciting big cities due to its exceptionally rich cultural and tourist events Budapest is an important station on the world map of popular tourist destinations, consistently performing well on various tourist surveys, and is positioned increasingly higher on international quality of life rankings. For several years now Budapest’s tourism sector has greatly outperformed its earlier results, and this provides a significant boost to the Hungarian economy. Over the previous five years the number of international tourists visiting the city has grown by nearly one and a half, and last year 8.7 million guest nights were registered, which is half a million more than in the previous year. I am confident that this publication, by reaching more and more people, will reveal what else Budapest has to offer in addition to one of Europe’s most beautiful Christmas markets at Vörösmarty Square, its historic thermal baths and world-class museums. I wish a Merry Christmas and a peaceful, happy new year to all of our current and future guests! Enjoy your stay in Budapest, spread the word about our wonderful city upon your return home, and come back soon to visit us again! István Tarlós Mayor of Budapest

CONTENTS

2016|Winter

Engaging Újbuda

Engaging Újbuda } 4 Újbuda, the most populous district } 6

Moulded music } 18 Ringing throughout the year } 20 Reformation } 20

Forests, game and hunters } 28 Wild passion } 30

Temples of the muses } 38

Forests, game and hunters

The First Golden Age } 40 Pumeza Matshikiza } 44

City Guide } 48

The First Golden Age

Michelin stars in Budapest

Shooting for the stars } 50 Costes – first among stars } 51 Onyx - returning to Hungarian roots } 52 Borkonyha – it's all in the name } 53 Tanti – almost like home } 54 Costes Downtown – the newest star in the sky } 55 Luxury, elegance and beauty } 56 After-hours fashion } 58 In service to the public } 59 Programme corner } 62

Cover photo:

The recently renovated Inner City Parish Church of the Assumption with the statue of the Hungarian-born Saint Jadwiga, Queen of Poland. The Elisabeth Bridge is in the background.

To see the location on the map, simply scan the QR code with your smartphone.

Károly Mocsári

Bugge Wesseltoft

Bertrand de Billy

Denis Macujev

Malkovich Antonio Gades Company János Balázs

John

Mahler Chamber Orchestra Róbert Hrutka

Snarky Ivo Puppy

Pogorelich

Hungarian State Folk Ensemble Balett Ensemble of Slovene National Theatre Maribor

Akademie für Alte Musik Recirquel Contemporary Circus Company

The Shanghai Quartet Pumeza Matshikiza

Komische Oper

René Berlin Jacobs

www.btf.hu

Daniele Gatti

#thisisyourplace

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

Esküvô Pesten

Városliget

Engaging Újbuda The core of Újbuda, located in the triangle made by Gellért and Kosztolányi Squares and the Danube, has always preserved the traditions of a balanced, family oriented middle-class lifestyle. Bohemian influences have rarely appeared in this area, and when they did it rarely extended beyond a café or two. When university students needed to burn off excess energy, they often preferred to do so at the local sporting facilities. Even the factories that were located around the perimeter of the district tended to employ workers with a more middle-class outlook. The situation had changed somewhat by the late 20th century, when Budapest’s first modern private theatre opened. In the years that followed, other cultural workshops also found locations in university or smaller factory buildings. These days, especially now that the quarter’s important hubs are connected by the new Metro 4, the district can look forward to an exciting future in terms of art, architecture and business alike.

} The memorial to Saint Emeric located at Móricz Zsigmond Circus.

The statue by Zsigmond Kisfaludi Stróbl was dedicated in 1930 on the occasion of the Year of Saint Emeric.

Engaging Újbuda

Újbuda,

Budapest’s

most populous district T ext : András Oláh

With a population of 150,000, Újbuda (New Buda in English) is Budapest’s most populous district (XI) and also one of its largest, possessing a diverse array of natural attributes. You will also find historical sites, tourist destinations, prestigious cultural institutions and universities, and owing to its state-of-the-art infrastructure, Újbuda is certain to develop even further. Saint Gellért’s Hill

The part of Újbuda closest to downtown is Gellért Hill, which rises 130 metres above the Danube. The hill is a volcanic formation, which together with the banks of the Danube and its panorama have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Gellért Hill received its name after the Venetian-born missionary bishop Gerard Sagredo (Gellért in Hungarian) who was thrown from it in 1046 during a pagan uprising and consequently martyred. From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, the hill consisted mostly of vineyards. The military fortress atop Gellért Hill known as the Citadella was erected in 1851 by the Habsburg authorities who ruled Hungary at the time. Following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, the fortress lost its military function until World War II, when it was used for air defence purposes, which the wax museum located in the casemates illustrates. The massive Liberty Statue by Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl that stands before the Citadella dates to the end of the war. Gellért Hill is rich in thermal springs that have carved many caves into the rock. The Cave Church created in honour of the Virgin Mary in 1931 is located in one of these. The church belongs to the Paulines, the only religious order founded by Hungarians. Since the Middle Ages, the thermal springs at the base of the hill have been used as baths, and it was with this in mind that the Gellért Bath and Hotel were built by 1918.

Engaging Újbuda

A developing cultural high street

Photo © Réz Mozsár / Panoramio

The plains spreading south from Gellért Hill were largely unpopulated until the 20th century. Settlement of the area was spurred by the opening of the Szabadság (Liberty) Bridge in 1896, which created a road link to downtown Pest, with tram services across the bridge launched in 1899. Bartók Béla Boulevard, the English translation for the road’s name that even some locals use colloquially, begins at Gellért Square and heads southwest. This southwest-northeast road connects Újbuda to the city centre and is one of the district’s most important arteries, which is why the local council wishes to transform it into its high street. The galleries and cafés that have recently opened on it offer various musical, literary and fine arts programmes and mini festivals through which this important road is becoming a cultural stage. One of the most outstanding locations on this cultural corridor that extends to Kosztolányi Dezsô Square is the Hadik Café. This famous institution and its rich literary history were revived in 2010.

The legendary Hadik Café on Bartók Béla Boulevard.

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

The B32 Galéria is one of the new stations on the “cultural high street”.

Móricz Zsigmond Circus is the important hub along Bartók Béla Boulevard. Due to the circus’s strategic location, it also became an important site of resistance that saw fierce battles during the 1956 Revolution. At a central location in the circus stands Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl’s statue of Saint Emeric that was erected in 1930. The son of Hungary’s first king Saint Stephen, Saint Emeric died in a hunting accident. On the 900th anniversary of his death, the part of the district immediately south of Gellért Hill was named after him. The connection between Gellért and Emeric is not merely geographical, however, for Gellért was also Emeric’s tutor.

Engaging Újbuda

Photo © spasbudapest.com

The Gellért Thermal Bath is a favoured destination by tourists who visit Budapest.

Engaging Újbuda

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

The Saint Emeric Church behind Lake Feneketlen.

Engaging Újbuda

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

The arboretum belonging to the Faculty of Horticultural Science of Szent István University.

Móricz Zsigmond Circus (above) and József Somogyi's statue of Béla Bartók (below).

lake was formed in a clay pit left over from a brick factory after it filled with groundwater. The lake’s name means bottomless in English, although it is only 4-5 metres deep even at its deepest.

Móricz Zsigmond Circus, which is popular due to its street food and fast food options, has an emblematic building in its centre nicknamed the Mushroom, which was built in 1942. Originally a terminus for local trains and trams, it lost this function in 2002. Renovated for 2014, it currently contains a café, gallery and information desk for the Centre for Budapest Transport. Nearby at the intersection of Fehérvári Road and Oktober Huszonharmadika Street is the centre of Újbuda, with its market and the Allee shopping centre that opened in 2009.

Nature and nurture

Gellért Hill is hugged on its southwestern side by Villányi Road, on which stands the neo-Baroque Saint Emeric Church that was consecrated in 1938. The church belongs to the Cistercian Order, who founded the high school next door. The church’s façade is best seen from across Lake Feneketlen located opposite to it, which is surrounded by a park that extends to Bartók Béla Boulevard and Kosztolanyi Dezsô Square. The

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

Photo © Kovács Veronika

Also on Villányi Road is the Buda Arboretum belonging to Szent István University. One of the country’s richest botani-

Engaging Újbuda

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

} The spirit serves freely

“This college was built on the foundation stone of trust, and we strongly believe that this foundation stone will not teeter.” (An excerpt from Loránd Eötvös’s speech at the inauguration of the Eötvös College on Gellért Hill.) In his capacity as Minister of Religion and Public Education, and as President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, József Eötvös (18131871) played an important role in the creation of a Hungarian institution based on the principles of the École Normale Supérieure, which would later bear his name. The college’s opening in 1895 followed decades of preparatory work and the hiring of “scholar teachers” was a fundamental educational goal right from the foundation of the Eötvös College. The college’s first director, Géza Bartoniek, and Loránd Eötvös who was its curator (and after whom Budapest’s largest university is named) were highly selective in choosing the first teaching staff. By 1899, they had worked out a systematic concept for the development of college residences, of which an important element was the palace built according to plans by Alpár Ignác located on Gellért Hill’s southern slope. The college has fulfilled its function for more than 120 years, and this is where the greats of Hungarian intellectual life became scholars. One such example is the physicist Zoltán Bay (1900-1992), who is associated with radar astronomy, the electron multiplier and the new definition of the metre based on the speed of light. In Washington, Bay worked alongside János Neumann and Albert Szent-Györgyi. Another resident in the college was the composer Zoltán Kodály, who shared his room with Béla Balázs, who wrote the libretto to Béla Bartók’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle.

cal gardens, visitors can take in trees and shrubs typical of Hungary, but the garden also features exotic Asian plants. Sas Hill, which rises to 266 metres directly west of Gellért Hill is also rich in natural treasures, part of which is a limited access nature preserve. The preserve is known for the Pannon lizard that lives there, the 173 species of rare spider (some of which can only be found there), as well as its numerous protected plants.

The Rákóczi Bridge was completed in 1995.

The city gate and offices

Újbuda is commonly referred to as the gateway to Budapest due to the road and rail networks that arrive here. The most important public transportation hub in the district is located at the end of Bartók Béla Boulevard at the Kelenföld Railway Station. Although only the fourth largest station in Budapest, most of Hungary’s east-west rail traffic (passenger and freight) travels through this station before arriving to one of Budapest’s terminals or travelling on to other parts of Hungary. Development of this area is still underway, and, according to current plans, the final terminus for tram line 1 will be Etele Square next to Kelenföld Railway Station. When complete, this will truly be a new gateway to the capital. The Kelenföld

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

Engaging Újbuda

13 The Allee Shopping Centre

City Rehabilitation Project will see a family-run company collaborate with the local council to realise the development of the Budapest ONE Business Park and the Etele City Center. The Újbuda Center strip mall was built inside the halls of the former Cable Factory, and in the neighbouring plot the Office Garden office block was built beginning in the late 2000s. The complex is currently in the second of its five planned stages. Placing an emphasis on environmentally friendly solutions, companies such as Shell, Philips, Syngenta and TATA Consultancy have chosen this site as their headquarters.

If we follow Fehérvári Road as it leaves Móricz Zsigmond Circus, the cultural axis that begins on Bartók Béla Boulevard continues, even if this is less obviously the case. In the Lágymányos area at Kôrösy József Street you can find the MU Theatre, which has operated for a quarter century and features experimental and independent contemporary theatre and dance productions. The Hungarian Museum of Science, Technology and Transport’s Technical Study Storage located in Prielle Kornélia Street contains 16,000 technical works of art that help introduce the most important moments in Hungarian technological history from the previous 150 years. The Barba Negra Music Club was founded in 2011 on the adja-

Illusztráció © futureal.hu

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

The Budapest One Business Park will transform the southwestern corner of the city.

Cultural side streets

The Fonó Music Hall in Buda hosts a diverse assortment of musical programmes.

Engaging Újbuda

cent industrial lot and hosts concerts by the top Hungarian and international acts in the rock and metal genres. A little further in Sztregova utca one can find the Fonó Music Hall, which is one of

Budapest’s most important hubs for Hungary’s thriving folk music and culture scene. The Fonó

Looking at the banks of the Danube in Újbuda between the Szabadság and Rákoczi Bridges, it is difficult to believe that this is the result of land reclamation work that went on for decades. From 1870-1875 the Kopaszi Damn was built alongside today’s banks, and is a massive defensive installation built into the riverbed. Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

The central building of Budaörs Airport built in the Bauhaus style.

Music Hall also operates a record label, and its artists frequently appear high up on the World Music Charts Europe. At Újbuda’s border near Budaörs lies the country’s oldest international airport, which opened in 1937 and is primarily used by sport planes today. Its central terminal built in the Bauhaus style has since become a listed industrial building.

Photo © fortepan.hu

The buildings of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics are reflected in the Danube south of Gellért Square.

Eötvös Loránd University's Q building is emblematic of the new university quarter.

Engaging Újbuda

The first facility to be built on the reclaimed land was the József Királyi Technical University, which is today known as the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. In addition to its eight engineering programmes, it also offers programmes in information technology, sociology, economics and the natural sciences. Each year, the university rowing team organises the Danube Regatta in front of the building, where they test their skills against representatives from the other higher education institutions, among them their greatest rivals from Corvinus University, located directly across the river. A contemporary studio theatre has operated since the 1970s from the literary stage built on the top floor of the central building in the 1960s. Known as the Szkéné Theatre, it has since its launch hosted exciting theatrical experiments and is an important performance location for independent theatre troupes. The campus located next to Gellért Hill was expanded in the 20th century owing to the increasing number of educational programmes, so the

complex now extends with 11 new buildings as far as the Petôfi Bridge opened in 1937, with the majority of its dormitories also located in this area. The University Town in the Lágymányos area was further developed at the turn of the 21st century, after Eötvös Loránd University opened its new campus for information technology, sociology and the natural sciences in 1996. Fans of contemporary popular music also have an exciting venue in the neighbourhood, as just south of Petôfi Bridge one can find the world-famous Photo © ossian71/panoramio.com

University town

Photo © A38

Photo © Balázs Sudár - Wikimedia common

The A38 boat is one of the region's best known and most innovative concert and event venues.

The Infopark in Lágymányos is one of the city's technology company centres.

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

A38 Boat that has hosted concerts since 2003. Originally a barge, it has a concert hall that can fit 600 as well as a bar in its storage area, while the deck contains a restaurant and terrace, which was expanded in 2010 with an exhibition hall. This bar, which draws famous performers from Hungary and beyond won an online poll conducted by Lonely Planet in 2012 and was named the world’s best bar.

became severely polluted during the 20th century. After the plants were removed, the area was cleaned and in 2007 a modern public park opened with Scandinavian-styled buildings that house cafes, restaurants, playgrounds and terraces, which attract visitors from all over Budapest.

Behind the University Town lies the Infopark built in in the 1990s as the first office complex in Central and Eastern Europe to offer offices to IT companies specialising in research and development founded on the knowledge base provided by nearby higher educational institutions. Infopark today houses such prestigious companies as Magyar Telekom, IBM, Lufthansa System and Hewlett-Packard.

BudaPart neighborhood, consisting of offices, residential blocks, small commercial services, a park and a hotel in the area bordered by Dombóvári and Budafoki Roads. The Kelenföld Power Plant belongs to this area, which is also expected to be renovated. Built in the Art Deco style in the 1930s, its glass ceiling is listed and has mesmerised film producers with the unique atmosphere it imparts. In addition to numerous music videos, the 2013 television series Dracula by NBC and the low-budget horror film Chernobyl Diaries were also shot here.

In 2017 the next stage of the bay's development will commence with the construction of the

Photo © Horváth Krisztián - hispan .hu

Plans for the BudaPart quarter include the building of a tower that would be over 100 metres tall.

Photo © budapart.hu

Engaging Újbuda

The Kelenföld Power Plant is a unique structure from industrial history and has also been used as a filming location on multiple occasions.

The Kopaszi Dam and Lágymányos Bay are located south of the Rákóczi Bridge's western end. Owing to the surrounding industrial plants, this area

Photo © Bruzák Noémi / MTVA

Moulded music

Handbells, cowbells and enormous church bells. Whatever their use, their ringing has frequently put a smile on our faces throughout the millennia and around the world. Bells are not limited to sacred uses, however, as many famous bells and chimes have become tourist attractions in their own right. Composers have also used the sounds that bells produce in their works; we need only mention Zoltán Kodály. And who can think of Christmas without sleigh bells coming to mind? While bells have a history stretching back thousands of years, the Reformation's history is “only” 500 years old. But even so, much has happened in that time as we've seen great advances in philosophy, publishing, public administration, morality, art, architecture and music.

} Blessing a bell in Örökimádás Church

Budapest's newest bell was named after Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Moulded music

Ringing throughout the year

The bells of Budapest T ext : Györgyi Orbán

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

Around the world at midnight on Christmas Eve, bells ring out in celebration. Bells have been important church fixtures since 604 in Western and 800 in Eastern Christianity.

Moulded music Photo © budavar.hu

Bells belonging to the Buda Castle Church of Our Lady (Matthias Church) in the winter of 2011 (above and below).

castle captain Miklós Jurisics forced the troops of Suleiman the Great that were advancing on Vienna into a retreat at 11 am on 28 August 1532. At the forerunner of the Hungarian Radio, the “Telephone Herald”, the noon bell was first heard on 1 April 1928 from the University Church in Budapest. The University Church was damaged in 1944, but on 1 May 1945, using an old record, the noon bell was once again heard for a short time before the communist regime banned it. On 22 July 1956, the 500th anniversary of the Siege of Belgrade, the noon bell was heard again, and has been played on every public radio and television station ever since. The first church bells were crafted in the 5th century in Italy, later spreading to France and Photo © budavar.hu

Although the bell is a sacred object, it is personified in liturgy and possesses a name, body, tongue, arms, legs, shoulder and spirit. It also marks everyday events. Bells remind us of the passing of time, and in the past were used to spread news. Their ringing aided ships passing through fog and bells also warned of fires, floods, blizzards or the approach of the enemy. Bells have made historical moments more memorable, such as on 19 June 1991, when bells rang throughout Hungary as the last Soviet soldier left the country. Throughout the year it is only on Good Friday and until dusk on Holy Saturday that the bells do not ring, due to Christ’s crucifixion. They’ve gone to Rome, the saying goes, and only ring once again with the Easter Vigil. Bell ringing traditionally accompanies various stages throughout life, such as death, marriage and birth. In certain areas, bells will not ring for those struck by lightning or those who took their own lives. In Protestant dormitories, a special small bell was used to wish expelled students farewell. In the past, the ringing of the passing bell was used to inform a settlement’s population that a rich or poor person had passed. For the rich, it majestically rang “purple-velvet”, while for the poor it was briskly beaten. Those working the land also paid attention to the bells, for if it rang “By your plates! By your plates!” it meant that the ladies were arriving with lunch. The ringing of the noon bell around the world was ordered by the Pope following victory against the Ottoman Turks in 1456 in the defence of Belgrade led by János Hunyadi. Within the Roman Catholic Church, at least one church per parish must ring its bells at noon. In Kôszeg the bells are rung at 11 in the morning to this day, since the

Moulded music Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

Saint Steven's Basilica in Pest (above) houses the country's largest bell, also named after Saint Stephen, (above right) which weighs over 9,000 kilograms.

England and then to what is today the Netherlands and Germany. During the Middle Ages, important bell foundries operated in Kassa (today Košice), Eperjes (today Prešov), Igló (today Spišská Nová Ves), Besztercebánya (today Banská Bystrica), Pozsony (today Bratislava), Gyôr, Esztergom, Pest, Buda, Vác and Brassó (today Brašov). The golden age for bell foundries was in the 15th-16th centuries, with several towns even having bell-making dynasties. In peacetime, they poured bells, in wartime, they made cannons, and sometimes even had to melt their fine bells into weapons of destruction.

Notable bell foundries operated in Pest and Buda, but official documentation has sadly only survived from the 18th century onwards. József Steinstock’s workshop in Buda manufactured one of the smaller bells of the Esztergom Basilica in the 1700s. Antal Zechenter in turn cast the 900 kg Holy Trinity Bell located in the Matthias Church, which survived the siege of Buda Castle in 1849 and World War II with barely a scratch. Ferenc Walser’s Saint Charles Bell from 1891 was the first to be rung in the Matthias Church. According to certain sources, the last Habsburg Em-

} The dynasty

Photo © Gombos Lajos

László Szlezák took over and further developed the Budapest foundry owned by György Thury and his son, which employed 100 people. His son Lajos Gombos learned the secrets of the craft from him and opened his own foundry in Ôrbottyán. Lajos’s son Miklós Gombos and grandson Ferenc continue this complicated craft into the present. For the Hungarian Pavilion at the 1992 World Exposition held in Seville, their workshop prepared a chime consisting of 14 bells, which was tuned to have an expanded octave range. Miklós Gombos cast Budapest’s newest, 101-kilogram bell named after Mother Theresa, which was installed in the Örökimádás Church on Üllôi Road in September 2016. The bell serves as a reminder that Saint Teresa of Calcutta announced in this church on 17 Jun 1989 that her order would begin to operate in Hungary.

Moulded music

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

750 and 500 kilograms respectably, and they were produced through donations from the Bishopric of Bamberg, the Rotary Club of Munich and the Passau Diocese Caritas Foundation. All six bells ring in the new year each year. The Lutheran church at Bécsi kapu Square has three bells. The largest was forged by Rafael Szlezák, Ferenc’s brother, in 1948 in Rákospalota, while the Luther Bell was forged by János Thury and his son in 1895. Only the tower remains of the Mary Magdalene Church of Buda Castle following World War II, for which a chime consisting of 24 bells was manufactured by the Szabados és Társai company. The chimes ring every quarter hour and provide tourists with an unforgettable memory. The Hungarian National Museum has 46 bells in its collection. The oldest dates to the turn of the 15th century and bears the name of the Transylvanian village Szentábrahám engraved on its waist. The Ábrahám Ganz Foundry Museum (Budapest, District II., Bem József utca 20) possesses data on 25,000 current and formerly existing bells and features an exhibition on the history of Hungarian casting.

peror (Charles I of Austria and Charles IV of Hungary) claimed to have heard this bell on his deathbed. Walser’s other bell, weighing in at more than 3,000 kg and known as Blessed Virgin Mary, rings out in one of the towers of Saint Stephen’s Basilica to this day. János and Ferenc Thury cast the bell in located the downtown Serbian Church. Ferenc Szlezák later took over the Thury brothers’ foundry and launched the dynasty that operates the only remaining foundry located near Budapest in Ôrbottyan, which is run by the Gombos family. Tourists are certain to visit two cathedrals if they visit the Hungarian capital: the Matthias Church in Buda and Saint Stephen’s Basilica in Pest. The Matthias Church has six bells, among them the previously mentioned Saint Charles, as well as one bearing the name of Christ, which is the sixth-largest by mass in the country. The two bells forged in Passau were named after popes Pius XII and John Paul II, which are all rung according to a strict order along with the Holy Trinity and Saint Margaret bells. The country’s largest bell, the Saint Stephen, weighs 9,250 kilograms and was placed into the southern tower at Saint Stephen’s Basilica on 20 August 1990. At the time of the church’s completion in the late 19th century, four bells were housed in the tower, but these were removed during the world wars and recast for military purposes. The Blessed Virgin Mary Bell mentioned earlier was forged in Ferenc Walser’s foundry and is the sole symbol of continuity in the cathedral’s history. In 1993, the basilica received new bells: the Saint Henry, the Blessed Gisela, the Saint Emeric and the Saint Elizabeth. Their weight is 2,150, 1,250,

} Bells in contemporary culture

Bells have and continue to provide themes for literary, music and film artists. The Kossuth Prize-winning author Péter Nádas’s most recent novel, Az élet sója (The Salt of Life) is set in a southern German town. In the book, he introduces all of the bells beginning with “Saint Michael’s bell, the city’s foundational sound. […] In the interest of harmony, the others have to adjust to this one.” The hero in Richard Harvell’s bestseller The Bells is raised in the belfry of a Swiss village, where his deaf mother rings the bells, the sounds of which will shape his life. Bells have also provided inspiration for film directors, such as Miklós Jancsó in his film A harangok Rómába mentek (The Bells Have Gone to Rome) from 1958. The Bells of St. Mary's starring Ingrid Bergman and Bing Crosby also used bells as a central motif in 1945. Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1966 cult film Andrei Rublev has a memorable scene of a bell being cast. The plot of Disney’s 2001 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame II also revolves around a bell.

The Mary Magdalene Church tower and its chimes.

Year of the Reformation

The R eformation E xploring our heritage T ext : Gyula Balogh

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

The Year of the Reformation celebration running throughout 2017 is a series of programmes, projects and investments that represents an excellent opportunity to rediscover aspects of Budapest’s architectural heritage. At this time, it is worth visiting some of the emblematic locations associated with the Reformation, including several Protestant churches.

Year of the Reformation A lesser known illustration of Martin Luther.

was built by József Hild in 1856. Unfortunately, the classicist steeple had to be removed in 1875 for structural reasons, at which time the church’s stave ceiling was replaced with a cassette ceiling. The church was damaged during World War II and also during the construction of the Metro 2 line. Since 1998, the Lutheran Choir regularly holds services with cantata music in the church, in which an entire Bach cantata (appropriate to the given Sunday) is performed within the liturgical framework of a normal Sunday service featuring

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

The Deák Square Lutheran Church is the oldest, best known and largest Protestant building in central Budapest and was built from 1799 to 1808 according to plans by Mihály Pollack. For three years, the church functioned as a military uniform warehouse before being consecrated in 1811. The dual gallery was built nine years later, and the pulpit and red marble baptismal font are the work of Lôrinc Dunaiszky. The main façade with its Doric columns topped by a tympanum

Photo © Jörg Juncker

Next year will mark the 500th anniversary of an event in Wittenberg that had an enormous impact on Europe. On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door, launching with it the Protestant Reformation that would lead to a rejuvenation of religious, cultural and scientific life. Luther’s actions redrew the continent’s religious map and redefined its understanding of faith. His ideas had an impact far beyond religion, however, for the Reformation is not just a relic from the 16th century but part of our shared heritage. Furthermore, the anniversary in 2017 will seek to answer what role the values of the Reformation serve in today’s age, and what we can take from them. The anniversary is an opportunity for us to discover these values together. This spiritual movement can be traced through numerous important buildings and churches found in the Hungarian capital, which is why we have chosen four outstanding architectural examples to highlight.

The Deák Square Lutheran Church with Gábor Sztehló's memorial (left), the church's interior (below left) and the recently opened Insula Lutherana Centre (below).

Year of the Reformation

umned foyer topped by a tympanum was completed after the restoration works following the flood of 1838. The triforia were constructed between 1854 and 1855 according to the plans of József Hild from funds donated by the English-born wife of Emmanuel Zichy, Countess Sarolta Strachan. Her will specified that part of her estate should be used to build the triforia. The church gained its current appearance with the construction of the steeple in 1859, and the steeple’s clock is the work of Janos Szûcs. The building is an outstanding example of Hungarian classicism, including its furnishings and the works of applied art in the interior. These include the series of stained-glass windows created by Miksa Róth that are found in the Kálvin Hall at the church’s southern end. These windows depict Christian symbols and notable figures from Reformed Church history, such as John Calvin, István Bocskai and Gábor Bethlen. An interesting fact regarding the church’s architecture is that it was originally planned to have two towers. The separate foundations for these never-built double steeples were laid, and the central steeple stands on the inner edges of these separate foundations.

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

Another emblematic building located by the banks of the Danube in Buda is the Szilágyi Dezsô Square Reformed Church designed by Samu Pecz and consecrated on Palm Sunday in 1896. The fittings and furnishings are also Pecz’s work. The red-brick building with its central floor plan and unique side naves, dome and façade decorated

The Insula Lutherana Centre located in the adjacent building was renovated earlier this year, and the updated Lutheran Museum was reopened with a new permanent exhibition entitled Luther’s Legacy. The museum’s most important artefact is Martin Luther’s handwritten will, for which there is a digital exhibit that also introduces Luther’s family and the story of the document’s arrival to Hungary. One of Budapest’s key religious buildings is the Kálvin Square Church, which was designed by Vince Hild and consecrated in 1830. The col-

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

excellent soloists and the Lutheran chamber orchestra. The great works of oratorio literature are also regularly read inside the church’s walls.

with rose windows has become one of Budapest’s most characteristic structures. The finely divided belfry tower is 62 metres tall and is a dash of colour on the northern part of the Danube. Topped with brown, yellow and gold Zsolnay ceramic tiles, the church was the location for the weddings of the writer Endre Ady in 1915, and of István Horthy, the regent’s son, in 1940.

Photo © C Mittecomm

Year of the Reformation

Photo © Balázs Csizik / Mittecomm

} A public installation at Kálvin Square

The Lutheran Church at Bécsi kapu Square was designed by Mór Kallina and consecrated in 1895. Its façade, atypically for a Lutheran church, is Baroque in style. Its door is surrounded by two columns and a ledge goes around the side walls. A double gallery was built above the entrance, with the organ and choir on the upper level and the lower level reserved for the congregation. The classicist altar was brought over from another church, with the altarpiece of Christ blessing the bread painted by Bertalan Székely.

The Reformation Memorial Committee launched a tender for a public installation to be erected in the Baross Street wing of Kálvin Square. It was won by Levent Szabó’s team Hetedik Mûterem Kft., who envisioned an installation of 95 unique concrete stones. This work, which must blend into the cityscape, will inscribe quotations from international and Hungarian thinkers on the impact of the Reformation. The majority will be in Hungarian, but German and English quotes will also be included. The work can be seen from 6 January, which is also the day that the opening ceremony for the anniversary year will be held in Müpa Budapest. Levente Szabó and Hetedik Mûterem Kft. have won numerous public art tenders in the past, including the World War II Memorial at Eötvös Loránd University, as well as the renovation of the Castle District in Sopron, not to mention the complete renovation of the Mushroom building at Móricz Zsigmond Circus. The church was 50 years old during the Siege of Budapest in World War II, when a bomb exploded in front of the altar. The altar was destroyed, the apse’s ceiling caved in and the triforia collapsed together with the pulpits, while the pews were left mangled and the organ was destroyed. Following reconstruction works, it was reconsecrated on Palm Sunday in 1948. A bronze plaque on the church’s sides commemorates the memory of the Lutheran Pastor Gábor Sztehlo, who saved the lives of 2,000 persecuted children during World War II. Like the church at Deák Square, this church also hosts excellent concerts.

reformacio500.hu Reformáció.500

Photo © Mohai Balázs / MTVA

Forests,

game and hunters Cave paintings dating back ten thousand years reveal how hunting was once an essential part of life. Once animals had been domesticated, hunting instead became a sport. In the past, the size of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forested lands also was a status symbol, as were the dishes the chefs working for these landowners were able to prepare from this wild game. Until quite recently, we carelessly devastated our natural resources, but today our approach has much more foresight, as wildlife management and environmental protection have gained newfound importance. People in these fields work to ensure natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s balance is maintained so that we, and our grandchildren, can enjoy it for many decades to come.

} The Museum of Agriculture's hunting exhibition

A collection introducing Hungarian agriculture, wildlife and forest management is exhibited inside the Vajdahunyad Castle block of buildings located in the City Park.

Forests, game and hunters

Wild passion

and responsibility T ext : József Gyüre

Photo © Vadaszlap-hu

City dwellers usually only learn that hunting season has begun via news of the annual deer rut. Although this officially begins with the arrival of September, the sound of hunting rifles does not quieten down in winter. In this article, we offer rural attractions for our adventurous guests, and city programmes for those wishing to remain in Budapest.

Forests, game and hunters

Photo © budapestinfo.hu / diatár

Prior to their conquest of the Carpathian Basin, and before the adoption of Christianity and an agricultural way of life, historical research shows that Hungarians subsisted through hunting and fishing. This hunter’s blood still courses through the veins of modern descendants, since Hungarians remain committed to passionate hunting and responsible wildlife management.

ious events that are organised, of which the best known and largest is the Fishing, Hunting and Arms International Exhibition that will be held for the 24th time from 9-12 February 2017 in Budapest. More than 300 exhibitors from 20 countries have expressed their intent to participate. Each year, more than 60,000 visitors arrive from around the world expressly for this event.

A gathering of nature-lovers

The exhibition is a grand meeting for hobby and professional hunters, fishers and nature lovers from the Carpathian Basin, and will be held as always in the HUNGEXPO Budapest Fair Center. But it’s not just the manufacturers of the various products (weapons and hunting and fishing accessories) that will be in attendance, for the event will be accompanied by countless other programmes.

If we jump forward hundreds of years, we can still see this ancient hunting culture in the present, through game dishes, the continued popularity of the vizsla, a Hungarian hunting dog, the upswing in horse keeping and breeding, the revival of hunting lodges, the spread of forestry schools, in hunting museums, Europe’s most comprehensive hunting law, the many hunting associations and also through wildlife management. The strength of passion is also evident in the var-

Among the technical exhibitions, the lifelike diorama entitled “Iceworld” stands out in its depiction

Forests, game and hunters Photo © imperialshooting.com

} Good to know

Photo © mosaicon.hu

Those passionate about hunting spend several billion forints in the country each year. It is good to know that the laws will change from March 2017: from spring, the Hungarian National Chamber of Hunters will take on the responsibility of distributing hunting permits to international hunters. Consequently, the income from these permits will be received by them, as will the total of the hunting ticket prices. (Up until now, the government collected half of the hunting ticket prices). What Hungarians need to know is that chamber membership will now be compulsory as of 1 January for sport hunters and not just professional hunters. The reason for the stricter laws was that it is in the interest of the profession and society that hunting activities are restricted to people who possess all the theoretical, professional and ethical knowledge and are approved to use hunting weapons that represent an inherent safety risk.

of the North Pole trophies of Hungarian hunters, and the photo archive introducing the lives of the 26 most famous Hungarian explorers and globetrotters. There will also be “The World of Deer” trophy show that will exhibit the biological characteristics of deer and their role in wildlife management. Slovakia will be the guest of honour at this year’s event. Our neighbour to the north will introduce their hunting and hiking areas, prize-winning trophies, its points of pride as well as its tourism packages. For fans of hunting culture, it is well worth noting in advance that Hungary is scheduled to host a hunting world exposition in 2021, which will focus not only on hunting items but also on the unique world of hunting. The expo will include a drive hunting world championship and a hunting dog exhibition, as well as falconry and various culinary demonstrations.

First-class opportunities

The high-quality hotels in Budapest are an excellent starting point for a hunting adventure during the winter months, for deer, rabbit, pheasant and wild boar are in season at this time of the year. From early November, rabbit and pheasant drive hunting is organised across the country, which for the uninitiated transforms seamlessly into wild boar hunting during the winter months. Hunting can be said to be a form of farming, since the wildlife population needs to be periodically culled and the hunting grounds “cultivated”. The hunters primarily go into the forest

Photo © fehova.hu

Forests, game and hunters

The cult of Saint Hubertus

Kép © Balter József: szent Hubertusz jelenése

Saint Hubertus or Hubert was the Bishop of Liège from approximately 705-727. He was widely respected throughout Northwestern Europe and later became the city’s patron saint. According to his legend, which dates back to the 15th century, Hubert was a spoiled child from a wealthy family. During a hunt on a Good Friday in the forests of the Ardennes, a stag appeared before him with the crucifix between its antlers, while a voice from the heavens spoke to him. His wife died two years later and Hubert became a hermit, only to later be anointed a bishop by the pope in Rome. Hubertus is the patron saint of hunters, archers, forest workers, smelters, butchers, tanners and trappers, and a patron saint against rabies. His feast day is 3 November, which is the first day of the drive hunting season. St. Hubertus is a Hungarian herbal liquor. It was first manufactured by the Braun Brothers in the early 20th century and is today owned by Zwack Unicum Plc. As with other herbal liquors, the recipe remains a closely guarded secret. The drink uses fine spirits as its base, and the most important flavouring is orange peel extract. In addition to various spices, the bitter also contains sugar, citric acid and caramel colouring. The liquor is aged in oak barrels for three months before being bottled for consumption.

Forests, game and hunters

Three famous Hu } The utility of the severed finger

Source: Manda.hu

Kálmán Kittenberger (1881-1958)

} Old Shatterhand’s Hungarian inspiration

Kálmán Kittenberger, the Africanist, hunter, collector and classic figure of Hungarian hunting literature was born 135 years ago in 1881 as the eighth child of a poor family in Léva (today Levice). He earned a degree at the local pedagogical institute and then found employment as a taxidermist at the Hungarian National Museum. In 1902, he took part in the landowner Arzén Damaszkin’s African hunting trip, and even received a year’s wages from the National Museum, for which he agreed to collect animals for the institution if his costs would be reimbursed. The expedition arrived to Africa in early 1903, but Damaszkin soon returned home, leaving the malaria-stricken Kittenberger on his own. Following his recovery, Kittenberger supported himself by capturing wild animals and for a long time continued to ship crates with valuable goods to the museum. After some time, he grew tired of not receiving any payment, and, in disgust, sent part of the middle finger of his right hand home after a lion had bitten it off during a hunt. (The finger still exists, preserved in formaldehyde.) Even so, Kittenberger expanded the museum’s collection with 60,000 objects, among them birds, reptiles and mammals, before he returned home in 1904. Kittenberger departed for Africa a second time in 1906, researching in Ethiopia and the unexplored Danakil Depression. Between 1908 and 1912, he explored the area around Lake Victoria and returned with a large collection of live animals for the Budapest Zoo. During World War I, Kittenberger hunted in Uganda, where he was arrested by the British authorities on account of his Hungarian citizenship. His collection was confiscated and he was exiled to India. After his release in 1919, he spent his last African trip in the Belgian Congo and Uganda from 1926 to 1929, hunting for large mammals for the museum. Numerous insects received their scientific names from Kittenberger.

Following the surrender at Világos to conclude the 1848-49 Revolution and Failed War of Independence, the army officer János Xantus emigrated first to London and then in 1851 to North America. He worked as a sailor, a shop assistant, a teacher and a surveyor for the railway line that was to extend from St. Louis to California through American Indian territory, before enrolling in the American Army in 1855. This part of Xantus’s life inspired Karl May while writing his adventure novel Winnetou, and Old Shatterhand was based on him. Xantus passionately hunted on the Kansas plains and collected seemingly everything: birds, mammals, insects, plants and rocks. He sent the Smithsonian Institution 26 crates of materials from the area around the source of the Arkansas River in 1856, then sent 35 from California and later 60 from Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. Xantus donated part of his collection to the Hungarian National Museum. Following his years of adventure, he returned to Hungary in 1864 and participated in the creation of the Budapest Zoo, becoming its first director in 1866. Two years later, he joined an Austro-Hungarian expedition to East Asia. The trip, which took two and a half years, included Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), India, the Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and China, as well as a year he spent on his own in Borneo, Java, Sumatra and the Malaysian islands. He frequently travelled and worked in areas where survival itself could be considered a miracle. Xantus’s work enriched Hungary’s public collections with 175,000 natural and folk objects. The scientific names of multiple flora and fauna pay respect to the memory of János Xantus.

Forrás: erdozugas.blogstar.hu

János Xantus (1825-1894)

Forests, game and hunters

or meadow to “manage wildlife” not simply to kill it. During the harsh winter months, in addition to taking care of their feeding, the diseased and injured animals need to be removed from the herd. To prevent overpopulation, the herds need to be thinned, so that they do not damage agricultural lands.

Source: Zsigmond Széchenyi: Hunting in Alaska (1937)

ngarian hunters

A total of 22 forestry companies operate in Hungary and put great effort into ensuring that forest visitors enjoy their stay by introducing the forests and organising programmes such as sporting events and hikes. Hungary’s forestry departments also educate and perform research. In forestry schools, forest rangers teach students about how to manage a forest, and the interactions between human activities and the wild. Forestry companies provide first-class hunting opportunities for both local and international professional hunters.

} The man who travelled the world and was exiled from Budapest:

The Helikon Palace Museum located by the shores of Lake Balaton in Keszthely contains one of the country's richest wildlife exhibitions.

One of the outstanding figures of Hungarian hunting culture, Zsigmond Széchenyi hunted in Africa, India, Alaska and Europe. One of Széchenyi’s exceptional hunting trophies was a white antelope of world-record size. His hunting library remains Hungary’s most significant collection of books on hunting and can be perused in the Natural History Museum. After completing his university studies, Széchenyi moved to Kôröshegy to work on his estate, and it was from here that he left for his first African trip to Sudan in 1927. Later expeditions took him to East Africa. Széchenyi also travelled to Kenya, Egypt, Tanganyika (today Tanzania), Uganda and Libya. He travelled to Alaska in 1935 and India in 1937, before returning to Egypt and recalling his trips in popular travel books. Széchenyi was inside the castle during the Siege of Budapest in World War II, and his villa on Istenhegyi Road was destroyed, resulting in the loss of one of Hungary’s richest trophy collections. The political developments following the war did not pass him by as he was exiled to the Great Hungarian Plain and also spent time in Sopronkôhida Prison. Following his release, he was not permitted to return to Budapest and was settled in Balatongyörök, from where he went to work in the Helikon Library in Keszthely. Once the Rákosi era ended, he was allowed back to the capital. In 1959, he once again visited East Africa as part of a state-sponsored expedition to replace the National Museum’s Africa collection that had perished in 1956. Széchenyi visited Africa for the last time in 1964, this time accompanied by his wife. By the time of his death in 1967, Széchenyi was once again held in high esteem. The Zsigmond Széchenyi Hunting Museum located near Budapest in the city of Hatvan is unique in the Carpathian Basin and even Central Europe. In the spirit of promoting sustainable hunting, the institution passes on ethical hunting principles and modern environmental knowledge. This knowledge is transferred though modern interactive tools, and the institution makes no secret that its aim is environmental education and to shape the perception of its visitors. The permanent exhibits located in the recently renovated Grassalkovich mansion introduce the traditions and achievements of Hungarian hunting, huntsmanship and wildlife management, the natural background for wildlife management, our region’s most important habitats and wildlife, the cultural role of wildlife management, the traditions and present state of fishing, and a separate section dedication to introducing Baroque cuisine.

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

Zsigmond Széchenyi (1898–1967)

Forests, game and hunters

Where to stay? Hungary has more than a thousand mansions. Here, we introduce you to two of the country’s historical buildings and hunting lodges near Budapest that have preserved their original functions and are open to the public as hotels or guesthouses.

Photo © varhotel.hu

Photo © fehova.hu

} Artúr Görgey’s Hunting Lodge Vár Hotel, Visegrád

www.fehova.hu @fehova

Photo © varhotel.hu

The majority of hunters are international, primarily arriving from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy, but Lebanese, American, Romanian and even South African hunters have also visited Hungarian forests. The reserve belonging to Zalaerdô Zrt. is especially popular among international hunters, the Gyulaj Hunting Ground has one of the best fallow-deer herds, and the Eger Forestry Company’s forests are known primarily for their herds of wild boar and mouflon. The hunting reserve of Bakonyerdô Zrt. permits the culling of 4,500 big game animals annually, of which a thousand are trophy animals. For international guests, the Budapest Forestry Company is located closest to the capital.

The Vár Hotel is located 30 kilometres north of Budapest at the most beautiful part of the Danube Bend just below Visegrád Castle and next to the Solomon Tower on the banks of the river. The new owners of Artúr Görgey’s former hunting lodge transformed the building into a hotel in 1999, which is also one of Visegrád’s most famous listed buildings. Visegrád is an important city in Hungarian history, for it was a meeting place for kings and lords. Today, authors, artists and politicians come here to relax. But it was not only General Artúr Görgey, who was one of the Hungarian military leaders during the 184849 Revolution and Failed War of Independence, who had a hunting lodge here, so did Emperor Franz Joseph.

Forests, game and hunters

} Kálmán Forster’s Hunting Lodge Kálmán Forster built this hunting lodge in the early 1890s in the town of Bugyi, 18 kilometres south of Budapest. (Many members of the Forster family made their mark in agriculture.) The lodge is surrounded by several hectares of old forest and includes a fishing pond with a functioning mill and wooden bridge. Close to the city but far from its bustle in natural surroundings, it awaits guests with its traditional Hungarian flavours served among period furniture. The hunter’s tavern next to the hotel provides excellent game dishes. Guests should try the steamed wild boar leg with creamy gooseberry sauce or the grilled pheasant breast in a chanterelle sauce. The beehive oven is used to prepare princely foods, crispy roasts and pastas. The strudels are handmade, and the meat is cooked over wood chips on a steel plate, while open-air cauldrons are used to make various meat stews. Culinary programmes are organised for guests staying in the castle, such as oven days or wine dinners, but the lodge also offers Hirdetes_210x135mm.ai 1 2016. 11. 21. 15:21:39 forest tours to burn off the calories.

Photo © hu.forsterkastely.hu

The Forster Hunting Lodge, Bugyi

Photo © István Práczky / budapestinfo.hu

City Guide

Temples of the muses

As Budapest's middle class grew, one of its most important and symbolic buildings was the Mรปcsarnok Hall, which was ceremoniously opened by Emperor Franz Joseph 120 years ago. Andrรกssy Avenue, which completes the axis running from the Castle and across the Chain Bridge, was perfect in the role of celebratory promenade for the Hungary that had emerged over the two decades following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867. The institution's new exhibit running until the spring recalls its golden age. Another building from this golden era is the Academy of Music that opened its doors in 1907. This building regularly hosts some of the biggest names from the world of classical music. In the spring of 2017, a rising opera star from South Africa will charm audiences within its walls with her voice.

} The Mรปcsarnok Hall at Heroes' Square The Mรปcsarnok has been and will continue to be a bastion for contemporary visual art in Hungary.

Temples of the muses

Photo © mucsarnok.hu

The First Golden Age The Mûcsarnok turns 120 T ext : Mária Albert

“The decades following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, up until the first decade of the 20th century, are considered to be Budapest’s golden age from a historical and cultural perspective. From an art history standpoint, this idea is founded on János Vaszary’s painting “Aranykor” (Golden Age). Completed in 1897-98, it allegorically depicts simultaneously looking into the past and at the golden age of the present. This phrase will appear in the names of two exhibitions during these months: ours will recall the era of the first golden age, while the other will be an exhibition consisting of works from the Hungarian National Gallery and the Gábor Kovács Collection to be shown in Poland,” Chief Curator András Bán revealed. “We will connect the golden age description to the Mûcsarnok itself, too, as we do not consider this to be an outstanding era only in terms of painting – in our eyes, the building also played a monumental role.” Based upon the concept devised by scholarly curator Ilona Sármány-Parsons, The First Golden Age will examine the process through which the conflicting ideas in art worked together to modernise the monarchy’s cultural policy in the decades leading up to World War I. The Mûcsarnok of that time was an important showcase to support the display and discovery of the country’s Central European aspirations. “I

Photo © Bálint Horváth

The Mûcsarnok art hall located in the City Park celebrates its 120th anniversary this year with a special jubilee exhibition. The First Golden Age will showcase a collection of masterpieces from the height of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and launch on a significant date: the hundred-year anniversary of Franz Joseph’s death.

Temples of the muses

Photo © Belvedere, Vienna

The era of Franz Joseph’s rule in the latter half of the 19th century was one of modernisation in Central Europe, not just economically or socially but also culturally. Although it had diverging rhythms and emphases, the entire national po-

litical and economic elite actively participated in this process. Politicians of the time assigned an especially important role to culture and the arts in the life of the nation and individuals. Although the region was not as economically or socially developed when compared to Western Europe, it was nonetheless more developed culturally in many regards, which was why the responsible members of the local elite believed it as the state’s role to support all initiatives that would spread high culture to the wider masses. The modernisation process had three stages and three generations of artists participated in it: the Photo © Bc. Vladimír Šulc, GVUO

emphasise the words ‘of that time’ as there was a Mûcsarnok even before Albert Schickedanz’s building. It was located on Andrássy Avenue, in one of the wings of the Fine Arts College (today university),” Bán continued. “The proponent for building a better exhibition hall was the Hungarian National Fine Arts Society, which received constant and significant support from the Ministry of Culture following the Compromise.” The society was able to organise excellent exhibitions that were critically acclaimed, and emphasis was placed on the countries of the monarchy among the works imported from abroad. Contemporaries named the new building the Palace of the Muses. György Szegô, the Mûcsarnok’s artistic director, refers to the exhibition’s catalogue: “Schickedanz understood ancient mythology and the architecture of the ancient world and renaissance both in their details and as a whole. Andrássy Avenue, which completes the axis running from the Castle and across the Chain Bridge, was perfect in the role of celebratory promenade for the Hungary that had emerged over the previous two decades. The Mûcsarnok became one of the most significant and symbolic buildings for the middle class that had emerged since the Reform Era.”

Hans Makart: The Nile Hunt (1876)

József Rippl-Rónai: Portrait of Countess Tivadar Andrássy, Eleonóra Zichy (1896)

Frantisek Kupka: The Wave (1902)

Temples of the muses Photo © amp, Vienna, Andreas Maleta

historicists, the realists and the modernists at the turn of the century. All three generations were advanced for their time, and enriched and differentiated the artistic heritage and knowledge they inherited from their forebears, while adding new elements in terms of perspective and style. “Lajos Fülep explained how Hungarian and European art are correlative concepts, since there was no distinct Hungarian art. The strength of The First Golden Age exhibition is the creative connection to European art,” Bán added. “The eras that built on each other did not diminish each other’s values, even if the participants often clashed or questioned the art of their predecessors,” the scholarly curator Sármány-Parsons has said. The era of Franz Joseph was a veritable golden age for art and painting in particular. The works created at the time in the national painting schools are outstanding examples of European art from the period, even by international standards. This era was the crowning glory of Central European painting, one that we must rediscover time and again.” The central role in this story was played by the emperor and king of this dual state, a man whose tutoring was dominated by visual education and culture. Although reserved with respect to other forms of art, he was open to the fine arts, and although his taste was not bold, it was well grounded. Josef Maria Auchentaller: Elfe am Bach (1898-99)

János Vaszary: Courtship, (c. 1895, right, above)

Gusztáv Magyar Mannheimer: Near Florence (Mediterranean Street with Wall and Flower) (right, below)

Maximilian Lenz: A World (1899)

“The jubilee exhibition does not feature every work that hung on these walls 120 years ago. But the paintings that can be seen today are all the work of those who exhibited their works in these halls in 1896,” Bán said. “The climax of the exhibition is not at its end, but in the middle. It features monumental works in one room by the 3 M’s: Hans Makart, Jan Matejko and Mihály Munkácsy. The installation does not evoke the past, nor are there palms or carpets as there were at the grand opening 120 years ago, where Franz Joseph was present. The environment is contemporary, but as an exception we will furnish a music room in one corner, in which we will exhibit Josef Maria Auchentaller’s Beethoven series. From Ligeti to László Paál, from Telepy to Benczúr and Bertalan Székely, the entire rollcall of 120 years will be presented. A smaller separate room will feature a lesser known creative side of Károly Lotz, which will introduce visitors to a more erotic image than we are normally used to seeing from the artist. “The First Golden Age will run until 12 March. Of the Mûcsarnok’s 13 halls, five have been set aside for complementary exhibitions. We thought that we would invite those artists and collaborators to celebrate this important anniversary who are capable of initiating dialogue between the past and present, and between tradition and innovation. The first round featured works by Photo © Museum of Fine Arts – Budapest

Temples of the muses

Photo © Archive of Gábor Kovács Art Collection

Photo © Archive of Judit Virág Gallery and Auction House

the recently departed sculptor István Bencsik and his disciples, the painter László Valkó and members of the 20-year-old Élesd Artist’s Colony. The second round will display works by the 80-year-old Albert Kovács and the Hungarian Painters’ Society, as well as the works of the 70-yearold György Szemadám and the 80-year-old Mária Flóra Zoltán. Under the title of Jutalomjáték (Bonus Game), we will be exhibiting unique works from the Hoffmann Collection, while other halls will feature works from the Symposion Society and Péter Stefanovits,” Bán concluded.

www.mucsarnok.hu @Kunsthalle

Temples of the muses

“IAt just- happened…” true fairy tale about an opera star

Photo © Simon Fowler / Decca

T ext : Szilvia Becze

Pumeza Matshikiza

Temples of the muses

The beautiful singer grew up in South Africa under apartheid in the suburbs of Cape Town. Since her mother worked nights, she was responsible for running the house and also raising her younger brother. “My parents divorced when I was only three. At that time, we moved to Cape Town, where my grandmother was a domestic worker. My mother frequently assisted her, since she was frequently without work. She was constantly looking for new jobs and occasionally the only work she could find was far away from our apartment. Once or twice, my grandmother took us with her to her place of work, in a white family’s home. I was in awe as I asked how it was possible that only four people lived in this house with a pool. My grandmother said it was because they had money. Everything is a matter of money in this world. That’s what she taught us.” The young girl had no dreams of a career until one day while dialling between radio stations she heard the voice of the Swiss opera singer Edith Mathis in the role of Cherubino from The Marriage of Figaro. From this point onward Matshikiza’s only desire was to sing like that. One of her teachers, however, had encouraged her to pursue surveying since she had a knack for mathematics, and because the profession was a dependable source of income. Matshikiza began her studies accordingly, but the opera she had heard in the radio left her restless. At the age of 21, the moment came for her to take the first steps toward what she had dreamt of for years in secret: she applied to the Cape Town Conservatory. Following her successful applica-

Photo © Simon Fowler / Decca

“She is one of the most exciting opera singers of our era,” and “With her sensitive, lyric voice, magical stage presence and playfulness, she will soon be a bona fide international star!” This is just some of the praise that has been heaped on the soprano Pumeza Matshikiza, whose arrival onto the international opera scene a few years ago has been likened to that of a meteor. Hungarian audiences will soon have the chance to meet her during an aria recital staged as part of the Budapest Spring Festival.

tion, she began her studies and has left the world gasping in awe ever since at her unexpected and stunningly successful career. Her life is like a fairy-tale: the poor girl leaves one of Cape Town’s suburbs in a country where the lives of blacks were made miserable by the policies of apartheid, but not long after she is applauded by critics and audiences alike in Europe’s greatest opera houses. Matshikiza remains quite modest about the story: “It just happened. In my childhood, I wanted to play with everything. The radio was also a toy. I would turn the dial and I came across a station that we didn’t listen to. That was where I heard Edith Mathis’s voice, and I listened in amazement and could feel that this is how I wanted to sing too. Before that, I did not even know that opera existed, nor did I understand the lyrics, since they sang in Italian, and it was only much later that I learned that it was Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro that I had discovered that day.” Colleagues, friends, acquaintances and strangers all stand in awe and are perhaps somewhat puzzled to learn of her wonderful career. In truth, a lot has happened in a short amount of time in this young talent’s life. As a teenager, Nelson Mandela visited her school and shook Matshikiza’s hand. “Ever since, I am frequently asked what I felt at the time, but in reality all that happened was that he came, we sang for him, and he shook all of our hands. I think I was too young for it to have left any impact on me.” In October last year, she made her debut with Sir

Temples of the muses

Photo © Matt Frost Photography

Photo © Simon Fowler / Decca

Antonio Pappano and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome, singing the world premiere of Luca Francesconi’s Bread, Water and Salt, based on Mandela’s famous speech. Matshikiza has a strong personality and has always had one, although she feels that these days she can relax more easily. But she has always remained true to herself and her goals, making her decisions on her own just like when she was a child, continuing on her path without hesitation. Her path, music, is a form of expression she could not live without. “From the age of six, I sang in the school and later in the church choir, then I began my musical studies. But I never dreamed that this would be my life. I began to study music because I was spellbound by the world of sound.” Later, a South African composer, who was impressed by Matshikiza’s voice, gifted her an air ticket to London. On the composer’s recommendation, she applied to the Royal College of Music and was awarded a full scholarship for three years. She studied in masterclasses held by famous singers such as Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Allen, Renata Scotto, Philip Langridge and Ileana Cotrubas. In contrast to many South Africans who have been fortunate in life, Matshikiza frequently returns home, primarily because her family still lives in Cape Town. In September, she performed at a charity concert in Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Elysées to support the founding of a new South African conservatory.

Naturally, her family members also visit her in Europe. Matshikiza can vividly recall when her mother first heard her perform in Germany. Her mother really enjoyed the opera, but is happily not preoccupied with the fact that her daughter has become famous. Fame is not important to Matshikiza, much more the road that she has taken: “I never appreciate singing on its own. I always look at the entirety of my life: what have I seen so far, where have I been, and of course, where I came from. I’m fortunate. I left South Africa to sing, and I followed something that I honestly enjoy doing. Of course, it’s hard work, and there’s always room to improve. At the same time, I never do what others expect of me, but I strive to invent and achieve what I want.” The 38-year-old singer is an exclusive artist with Decca Classics and her debut album was released in 2014, followed by her second disc in May 2016. In 2010, she won the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition held in Dublin, and the following year became a member of the Staatsoper Stuttgart. Matshikiza also sang at the wedding of Prince Albert of Monaco, whose bride Princess Charlene is also from South Africa, and she was widely praised for her performance at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She is a special guest of the Staatsoper Stuttgart, and her latest role is Micaёla in Carmen, but she has also performed Pamina in The Magic Flute, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro and Nanetta in Falstaff. In her free time, Matshikiza enjoys reading and swimming, and she likes to warm up in the steam of the sauna when it is cold outside. And there is one thing that has become a ritual in her life: she eats pasta before every performance. Opera continues to leave Matshikiza mesmerised, since the genre’s diversity, complexity and mystery leaves her with much to still discover. “It entrances me how at times even a somewhat silly story connects the orchestra and the singers. The stories in operas speak of feelings, of love and pain, and the chasms between social classes. At times, they are truly funny, but at times they present such life situations that we find in real life, since they are about human feelings. And suddenly we recognise how long we’ve struggled with the same problems, and how most of these dramas are forever part of our lives.”

pumezamatshikiza.com @PumezaOfficial

Photo © Simon Fowler / Decca

Temples of the muses

City Guide

City Guide As Budapest occupies an increasingly prominent position on Europe’s culinary map, tourists and locals alike will find whatever they desire, be it an elegant restaurant or street food that reminds them of home. Since 2010 Budapest has been honoured with five Michelin stars, and in this issue we take a look at each of these unique restaurants. Additionally, chefs trained in Hungary have won prestigious international competitions one after another, and the fruits of their labours can literally be tasted. When it comes to food, not only is its preparation art, but so is its presentation. Herend porcelains have always been the cherished decorations stored inside family china cabinets, and royalty have eaten and drunk from these cups and plates. The 190-year-old Herend Porcelain Manufactory, which has won gold medals at numerous world expositions, has belonged to the French luxury association Comité Colbert for five years and has also been considered the most desirable luxury porcelain brand in the United States for ten.

} Onyx at Vörösmarty Square

This luxurious restaurant awaits guests next door to the Gerbeaud confectionary.

City Guide

Shooting for the Stars Budapest’s culinary revolution T ext : Szonja Somogyi

Budapest has become an increasingly popular tourist destination in recent years. In addition to Buda Castle, the thermal baths and the surrounding natural landscape, the city’s vastly improved culinary offering now also entices visitors who appreciate both quality and variety. In just six years, five Budapest restaurants have earned Michelin stars. “Until quite recently, Budapest wasn’t exactly considered a culinary destination around the world. Gulyás (goulash) or pörkölt (a meat stew) were the dishes that sprang to mind, or perhaps Hungarian desserts and pastries. But there has been a tangible change over the past few years, first within the hospitality sector and then due to the growing influence of cooking channels and other forms of “gastromedia”. As a result, more and more people are taking a keen interest in Hungarian cuisine and Budapest’s vibrant culinary scene. The Michelin-starred restaurants play a significant role in this, but those who visit for a long weekend are usually looking to sample the whole palette of food on offer, taking in traditional meals, confectionaries, new-wave bistros, markets, wines and ruin pubs. Visitors will find excellent value for money, well below European prices,” says Zsófia Mautner, gastroblogger, television host and author of several cookbooks, including the recently published Budapest Bites.

The book, which introduces Hungarian cuisine to the uninitiated, will soon also be published in China. Owing to her past in diplomacy, Mautner has been able to observe Budapest’s culinary revival as an active participant from both outside and in. “It was about ten years ago that things began to improve, with the official milestone considered to be the 2007 Culinary Charter. Drafted to revive Hungarian culinary culture, it was signed by hundreds of restaurateurs, chefs, vintners and culi-

nary writers. In my opinion, this revival has happened over the last decade. In Budapest, the transformation is almost 100% complete,” Mautner told Budapest’s Finest. Due to this dramatic leap in quality, the international culinary profession is now paying special attention to Hungarian gastronomy, with gastro specialists arriving in their droves to test the restaurants of the most talented chefs. The highly prestigious Michelin Guide, which for decades has inspected the quality of fine dining restaurants and recommended the best of the best, first sent its secretive inspectors to Budapest in 2010 (as far as the local establishment could tell). Their tests, conducted without anyone’s knowledge, resulted in Costes winning the first Michelin Star to be awarded to a Budapest restaurant. Since then, the number of Michelinstarred restaurants has grown to five. The restaurants recommended in the Michelin Guide each year are required to adhere to its strict criteria in terms of the excellence of their food and service. According to Mautner, although these restaurants rise above the rest in Budapest, they also go a long way towards spurring the gastronomical development of other locations in Budapest. The level of quality in other restaurants has also been also elevated as teams trained in the top establishments go on to open their own high-quality locations, with related professions, such as bakeries, cheese producers and so on also encouraged to develop their craft further. “We have five Michelin-starred restaurants, which is unique in the region, and also a guarantee for many, since a lot of people plan their travels according to the guide. The world-class Bocuse d’Or chef competition, for which the European finals were organised in Budapest in May 2016, was also a milestone, as was the victory of Hungarian chef Tamás Széll. The world’s best chefs and most important culinary journalists arrived to the Hungarian capital and left impressed. In October, Hungary was guest of honour at San Sebastián Gastronomica, one of the most important conferences for the gastronomy profession in the world. There’s no stopping things from here on out.” So the gastro profession has discovered Budapest and it seems that the international public has developed a taste for new Hungarian cuisine. But we still have a responsibility to continue to attract international attention, maintain high quality standards and constantly innovate.

City Guide

Costes

first among stars

According to Palágyi, a possible reason that Costes was the first to catch the attention of the Michelin inspectors was because the work of the Portugeuse Vieira presented a new kaleidoscope of colour or perhaps an “international style” that set it apart from the pack. “Costes is a refined and elegant restaurant. The courses feature the flavours and techniques of French cuisine, but are fundamentally based on Hungarian flavours, which we try to transfer to fine dining. Seventy percent of our ingredients are Hungarian, and the rest primarily arrive from France. We strive to always source meat and other ingredients typical of Hungary from within the country,” Palágyi told Budapest’s Finest.

The menu at Costes changes seasonally based on the availably of ingredients. During the winter months, the menu features more dishes prepared from wild game or plants that grow in the forest during this season, such as forest mushrooms and cranberries. The New Year’s Eve menu features starters such as mulled wine marinated duck liver with dried fruit chutney, or pigeon consommé with tortellini and beetroots. The menu

Costes on Ráday Street was the first restaurant in Budapest, or Hungary for that matter, to receive a Michelin Star back in 2010. Since then, former chef Miguel Rocha Vieira has been succeeded by the former sous chef, Eszter Palágyi, but the location’s dependable high standards have not changed in the slightest. The restaurant continues to take pride of place among the culinary elite and has successfully held on to its star ever since.

also contains scallops and Hungarian sturgeon caviar with champagne sauce, as well as suckling pig with red cabbage and quince “in the Hungarian tradition”, not to mention home truffled “Brie de Meaux”. The holiday flavours will be crowned by a hibiscus, vanilla and lemon dessert. Opened in 2008 and representing the minimalist style with a modern interior, the restaurant features masculine black and white, grey and silver colours that increase its elegance, enhance the radiance of special events and at once direct attention to the compositions on dishes prepared with the finest attention to detail. Costes 1092 Budapest, Ráday utca 4. costes.hu @Costes.Restaurant

City Guide

Onyx H

Returning to

Located at Vörösmarty Square, one of Budapest’s must-see tourist destinations, Onyx won its Michelin Star in 2011 and applies a modern perspective to traditional Hungarian cuisine.

“When we opened in 2007, we made no secret that our goal was for Hungary to also have a restaurant that would be internationally recognised for its high quality. Our philosophy focuses on the meeting of tradition, innovation and evolution and is derived from the storied Gerbeaud Confectionary, since the restaurant is located in the same building. This determined not only the interior but also the style of our dishes: we reached back to our Hungarian roots in the long distant past, eliminated the modifications made in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and also slightly updated the courses,” Sales and Marketing Director Anna Niszkács told Budapest’s Finest. Onyx’s menu features gulyás soup, for example. “Our version may not at first glance appear to be true to one of the main dishes of Hungarian cuisine, but when you taste it with your eyes closed, everything comes together. We took the traditional ingredients, took them apart and then reassembled the dish, so nothing is included that might ruin the overall impact.” The Somlói Galuska (Somló sponge cake) has been on the menu since 2009. “If we were to modify the dessert known as the 21st century Somló sponge cake, then our guests would be

ungarian roots outraged. It’s a rare restaurant where a dessert is the emblematic dish, but perhaps it turned out that way due to the traditions of the Gerbeaud Confectionary.” Niszkács observed. At Onyx, the chefs respect the ingredients and allow the basic flavours to dominate each course. “We’ve always followed our own path, not some trend.” Regarding the ingredients, 9095% are sourced from producers in the region on a seasonal basis. Until August, the kitchen was led by Chef Szabina Szulló and Sous Chef Tamás Széll, who won the 2016 Bocuse D’Or European Championship held in Budapest. After Széll’s departure, he was replaced by Ádám Mészáros, who has worked for Onyx for years, while the new sous chef is András Petô, who likewise has been at Onyx for years. Our winter dishes clearly mirror the flavours available at this time of the year. The menu features wild boar stew and a “winter flower garden” as a vegetable dish. Onyx does not serve à la carte meals. We offer only the seasonally changing Hungarian Evolution Menu and the Chef Menu to our guests, but we’re yet to receive a complaint about our selection.

Onyx 1051 Budapest, Vörösmarty tér 7. onyxrestaurant.hu OnyxRestaurantBudapest

City Guide

Borkonyha ’ it s all in the name

Borkonya, or Wine Kitchen in English, opened its doors five years ago in the heart of District V. Those entering its doors will discover excellent bites along with a selection of high-quality Hungarian wines served by the glass or bottle. In total, there are 180 exclusively Hungarian wines available for international and local guests to try. The restaurant and its bistro atmosphere received its Michelin Star back in 2014.

“Borkonyha is a blend of French bistro and contemporary Hungarian restaurant, where nearly everything is prepared from Hungarian ingredients or sourced from Hungarian producers. Chef Ákos Sárközi uses wine to prepare most meals. Since we offer Hungarian wines only, the selection is flexible, and we have 40-50 types that can be tasted by the glass each day. In total, we source 150-180 wines and we’ll open any bottle for our guests,” Zoltán Kalocsai, one of the restaurant’s owners, revealed to Budapest’s Finest. Kalocsai believes that the Michelin Guide’s “spies” probably noticed this duality, since Borkonyha’s bistro character is complemented with a fine dining kitchen. “We’re not a ‘fancy’ place. Those wishing ‘to be seen’ are better off going elsewhere. People who come here take an active interest in gastronomy.” He added that international guests usually book their tables well in advance and don’t ask their hotel’s concierge for dining advice. Our restaurant does not advertise itself. Our guests choose

us on the basis of information acquired in advance. “When you serve good food, word travels fast.” Borkonyha has kept up its high standards since winning its Michelin Star in 2014. Some dishes have been refined further, but the prices and style have remained unchanged. The menu changes four times a year and typically features five appetisers, six or seven mains and three desserts. These are the more “classic” courses, which are accompanied each week by more “adventurous” options, such as veal marrow in late autumn. During the winter months, seasonal game meat, such as venison, also appears on the menu, served with the freshest ingredients and sides, so that even the most modern of city dwellers can still get a sense of nature. Borkonyha 1051 Budapest Sas utca 3. borkonyha.hu Borkonyha

Tanti

almost like home Located in the leafy Buda hills, Tanti received its Michelin Star in 2015. Ádám Szabó, the restaurant’s business manager, told Budapest’s Finest that the restaurant’s chef at the time, István Pesti, considered the star to be an extraordinary honour. Although this is not common, his name was included alongside the restaurant’s name. Despite this, the chef soon departed Tanti to forge his own path, but his successor Olivér Heiszler succeeded in preserving Tanti’s Michelin-starred status. forms. With István, the kitchen was more Hungarian, while Olivér emphasised Asian dishes with Spanish flair. Dániél Eszenyi on the other hand focuses on Hungarian meals in addition to French dishes. It is noticeable that most courses on the seasonal and seemingly puritan menu are only made with three ingredients.

“We worked hard this past year and were quite worried about retaining our star, but fortunately we were able to, so our next task, with our third chef, is to earn this distinction for a third time, as Dániel Eszenyi is now heading our youthful and modern kitchen,” Szabó said. Tanti is a cosy restaurant in the heart of District XII. “In addition to our excellent technical knowledge, the kitchen and wait staff work to a high standard, but what is also important is that the guest should feel comfortable as well. We provide a more relaxed atmosphere and provide that feeling that a person gets when they visit an aunt or an older relative,” Szabó continued. Tanti’s dishes are complex, yet they are not shrouded in mystery. They use familiar ingredients, albeit not in their everyday

A contributing factor to the restaurant’s friendly character is that it serves affordable two- or three-course lunch menus on weekdays. The courses available on these menus do not deviate in size or quality from the à la carte dishes. Often, the only difference is that they are prepared using different methods, Szabó emphasised. What is certain is that many people are enticed to the restaurant between noon and 3 in the afternoon, even those who might normally be put off by a Michelin Star. Tanti demonstrates how fine dining is not equivalent to rigidity or unrecognisable servings in a stuffy atmosphere, but that it means quality meals in renewed forms served in a relaxed family atmosphere and in impeccable surroundings. Tanti 1124 Budapest, Apor Vilmos tér 11-12. tanti.hu @tantirestaurant

City Guide

Costes Downtown B

the newest star in the

udapest sky

he restaurant, which features an open kitchen and a chef’s table, is led by chef Miguel Rocha Vieira, whose presence is a guarantee of excellent quality. According to András Lexa, the manager of Costes Downtown, the restaurant received the star not only for the quality of its food, but also for its philosophy. “Initially our primary concern was not to make money. Naturally, we’ve managed to turn a profit since, but the most important thing was for our excellent and experienced team to maintain the level of quality we set out to achieve.” You don’t have to wear a tuxedo, tie or evening dress to eat at Costes Downtown. “There are some fine dining establishments where people aren’t able to relax. For guests who visit us, the feeling is more like returning come,” Lexa added. The living plant wall and the furniture made from natural materials

Costes Downtown is the latest restaurant to join Budapest’s Michelin star club, receiving the distinction in March 2016, less than a year after it opened. The restaurant for the Prestige Hotel Budapest and sibling of the “pioneering” Costes, Costes Downtown offers a more relaxed environment, more affordable prices and a bistro atmosphere.

truly do create a relaxed atmosphere for dinner with a couple of friends, a family gathering or business meeting. The dishes are characterised by the natural harmony of their colours and flavours. Chef Vieira primarily strives to reinterpret and present Hungarian dishes in a modern form, often livened up with some Portuguese playfulness. No dishes are overly spicy, allowing the natural character of each ingredient to flourish. With the exception of the seafood, Costes Downtown strives to obtain as many of its ingredients from Hungarian producers. The result is that every food composition that winds up on your plate is guaranteed to be fresh. As Lexa says, this is why there is no permanent, fixed menu. The lunch menu changes every one or two weeks and the dinner menu is also seasonal. “If we can’t find enough of a particular ingredient, we simply replace that dish with another.” What can we be sure to find on the constantly changing menu this winter? Lots of fish in the interests of healthy dining, but the menu will also include red meats, beef, mangalica pork, lamb and seasonal side dishes and vegetables, served with a mild twist, some humour and paired with excellent Hungarian wines.

Costes Downtown 1051 Budapest, Vigyázó Ferenc u. 5. costesdowntown.hu @costesdowntown

City Guide

Luxury, elegance

and timeless beauty Herend porcelain past and present T ext : Júlia Szászi • P hotos : Herend.com

Even before the meals are served at official state dinners in Budapest, guests find themselves spellbound at the beauty of the dinnerware spread on the table before them. The hand-painted and crafted Herend porcelain belongs among the world’s most outstanding treasures, and remains an important part of Hungarian heritage past and present. These world-renowned porcelain designs have been handcrafted for 190 years in the small town of Herend near Lake Balaton. The bowls, cups and statues are made by local artists from the first handling of the materials to the final brush strokes. The Herend Factory, with its two centuries of history and knowledge, can produce 16,000 forms and 4,000 designs in any combination. What this means is a collection of 64 million possible items. The Herend name is synonymous with excellence, perfection, tradition and innovation, but as well as admiring the exquisite artistry, it is well worth exploring the company’s unique history. The modest fine ceramics shop that would become one of the world’s largest porcelain manufactures was founded in 1826 by Vince Stingl in the town of the same name near Lake Balaton. In the 19th century, owning porcelain was a privilege limited to the aristocracy. The significance of the workshop and the skill of its employees was recognised by its director Mór Fischer a few years after its founding and he soon began to reproduce the unimaginable detail and artistic flair of the porcelains arriving to Europe from China via the silk road. The small workshop

flourished under his leadership and by 1842 Lajos Kossuth heralded Herend porcelain as a “welcome development” in Hungarian industry. International success was not long in coming either. At the first world exposition held in London in 1851, the design featuring charming peonies and playful butterflies filled Queen Victoria with such amazement that she ordered a massive set featuring the design. The motif has survived and the Viktoria decoration remains one of the company’s characteristic symbols. Herend porcelain was also presented at the 1855 world exposition in Paris and once again received top honours. It was also in the same year that Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph’s first child Sophie was born and the princess’s birth was marked with a beautiful gift of a set of Herend porcelain. Unfortunately, the child died at the age of two, but the porcelains survived as decorations at the Royal Palace in Gödöllô. The palace, one of Empress Elisabeth’s favourite residences, was severely damaged in World War II, as a result of which only a few pieces of the set have survived and are today considered priceless treasures.

City Guide

Herend's Klotild Brand Shop in central Budapest's Kígyó Street.

In 1867, Francis Joseph ennobled Mór Fischer and the factory received the title of Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court. The following generation mismanaged the factory, but Fischer’s grandson, Jenô Farkasházi Fischer re-established the name and its products. His efforts resulted in a gold medal at the world fairs in Saint Petersburg and St. Louis.

The workshop made a special giant vase in 2010, when Hungary held the rotating presidency of the EU. The commemorative piece was 100 cm tall and weighed 25 kilograms. Among the light green flowers and butterflies of the Viktoria decoration were excerpts from the national anthems of the EU member states in gold lettering.

The two world wars and nationalisation marked the start of a difficult period, but the Herend Porcelain Museum opened as a symbol of the easing of the communist regime in 1964 and it was expanded in 1999 to include a modern visitor centre. Guided tours can be booked through herend.com. In 2001, the Herend Porcelain Manufactory received the Hungarian Heritage Award. According to a survey conducted by the New York-based Luxury Institute in 2006, Herend is the most desirable luxury porcelain brand on the American market. The Comité Colbert, a French national association of luxury industry companies, accepted Herend as its sole Hungarian member in 2011. A year later, Herend porcelain was ranked as the finest Hungarian brand in a survey by Magyar Brands. It is no wonder that Herend is considered a genuine Hungaricum (something quintessentially Hungarian). Even those who have only seen one example of these fine works of art would not be surprised that this brand is the choice of rulers, heads of state, film stars and leading business people and athletes, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rowan Atkinson, Eva Longoria, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. For his birth, Prince George received Herend porcelain from the Hungarian state decorated with the Royal Garden design, a modernised version of the Viktoria decoration. The company’s unique designs lend themselves to many opportunities. For instance, the organisers of the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix have commissioned Herend to produce the victors’ vases for many years now. The designs follow the neoclassical style and feature Budapest’s most famous landmarks as their centrepiece.

Those not wishing to leave their Herend porcelain at home can also choose to wear Herend jewellery. The medals, chains, bracelets and earrings designed and produced in the factory continue to grow in popularity, so there is no cause for concern about the future of the Herend brand. Fans of the legendary porcelain manufacturer continue to cherish these exquisite designs and snap up every exclusive object almost as fast as the factory can produce them.

herend.com @Herendporcelan

City Guide

After hours fashion D P – ! ivat

lacc

T ext : Ágnes Karcsay • P hotos :

by night

placc.hu

In the final run-up to Christmas, it is refreshing to discover that we can go shopping for unique handcrafted gifts even in the later hours. But the Divat Placc (Fashion Square) market is not just for locals, as tourists will also find countless quality keepsakes with which to preserve their memories of our city.

Divat Placc – by night, located in the ruin bar Anker’t, is perhaps Budapest’s only event where visitors can start their evening with a market visit, grab a few bites or drinks, and perhaps even strut their stuff on the dancefloor. If visitors have no intention of moving on after finishing their evening’s shopping, they can stay and enjoy this unique market’s ambience right up until midnight. Free of charge and dog-friendly, a visit can be combined with an evening stroll where visitors can browse a wide selection of individual designs, vintage outfits, shoes, watches, jewellery, purses, accessories and even home furnishings for any age, gender and taste. The emphasis is on items that would not be sold in a shopping centre, so the chances of encountering someone wearing the same items are non-existent. Evening markets have proven successful in other European big cities like Berlin, where, in addition to offering potential Christmas gifts, they cater to anyone still wanting to do some shopping during the evening hours after work. The markets are also popular with young people looking to pick up a professional fashion or style tip or two before a night out in the city centre. The evening market is also an exciting experience for fashion-oriented tourists, who will now be able to find some extra time for market shopping after taking in the city’s sights. While sampling the unique atmosphere of a ruin pub, they can also become acquainted with Hungarian designers. The popular Antik Placc (antique market), which has been around for years, served as the inspiration for the evening market. The Divat Placc was set up

as a sister market for domestic designers, stylists, make-up artists and fashion bloggers. The market also represents an opportunity for people clearing out their wardrobes to sell or trade various outfits. Thanks to this initiative, visitors are now able to also encounter those Hungarian designers who are yet to open their own stores. According to organiser Flóra Császári, a huge number of jewellery designers bring their wares to this unique market, where shoppers will also find antique items. One of the event’s themes is the principle of “old from the new and new from the old”, so a large proportion of the items are “upcycled” – jackets made from shirts and dog collars made from belts, for example. Of the participating designers, there is one who plants tiny flowers into their jewellery, a unique technique that visitors can also try. Those browsing the stands will also find jewellery made from buttons, coffee capsules and beads, while some sellers draw dreamlike postcards, bookmarks and invitations, or craft knitted fashion accessories. Of course there is more to the evening market than simply shopping – this is also a social experience. As one of the largest covered courtyards in Budapest’s downtown nightlife quarter, Anker’t is also an excellent place for designers, bloggers and amateur fashionistas to meet and discuss their shared passion. Opening Hours: Sunday, 18 December; Wednesday, 21 December (5 pm-11 pm) Anker’t (1061 Budapest, Paulay Ede u 33.) @Divatplacc

City Guide

In service to the public World-famous charity organisations T ext : Júlia Szászi

Each organisation uses its own methods to raise funds, such as enjoyable activities and artistic events that encourage others to provide additional support. Charity events often feature popular performers, who donate their fees to the needy, and audiences are also invited to contribute. The forerunner of the Rotary Club was founded in Chicago by the lawyer Paul Harris in 1905, but the first actual Rotary Club was established in California in 1909, and the Rotary Foundation was founded in 1917. The idea soon spread and Rotary Clubs were operating on six continents by the 1920s. Their mission of service soon outgrew the interests of the professional elites (doctors, lawyers, etc.), and their combined resources and abilities were turned to serving the public. Seeing the suffering caused by World War II, the 1943 Rotary Conference held in London recommended that an international educational, scientific and cultural cooperative body be founded, which led to their support for the foundation of UNESCO in 1945. Rotary International later launched efforts to combat polio, and their volunteers have vaccinated a billion children since 1980. Half a billion dollars have been spent on this mission to date. Today, 35,000 Rotary Clubs operate in 166 countries with a membership of 1.2 million. The first Hungarian club was founded in 1925 and 12 clubs operated in Hungary until 1942, before the country’s succession of dictatorships prevented them from continuing their activities. This was reversed during the regime change, and the first new club, RC Budapest, was launched under the leadership of the musicologist Zoltán Falvy. A total of 48 new or reorganised clubs had been formed by 2010. In 1996, the first women’s organisation, Inner Wheel, also began operating in Hungary under the direction of Ágnes Ottrubay. On the first Saturday of Advent each year, Inner Wheel clubs organise a charity bazaar in the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest. Inner Wheel also supports children’s hospitals and orphanages throughout the year and Rotary Budapest is one of the main participants in the Christmas Market at Vörösmarty Square each year. But the story does not end there. In 2015, Ágnes Ottrubay founded the Vis Fontis Association, which operates from the Esterházy Foundation headquarters in Eisenstadt, Austria. Disadvantaged Central and Eastern European communities can apply for assistance from the association, with recipients

of Vis Fontis’s assistance including the Snétberger Music Talent Foundation, the Bodvalenke Fresco Village, the Vecseház Social Centre in Romania, and the Romano Centro in Vienna. Worldwide charitable organisations provide an example of effective service derived from the community-building strength of generous people. Lions Clubs International, which will celebrate its centennial next year, has more members than the United Nations. A total of 1,350,000 members in 46,000 clubs located in 206 countries are guided by the motto “We Serve”. Their aims are noble and their activities are independent of religion or politics, a principle that is enshrined in the organisation’s ethical codex. Membership is not open to anyone; only those who share the organisation’s values of bravery, strength and loyalty need apply. The central mission of Lions Clubs International is the protection of sight, or the prevention of damage to sight, as well as providing assistance to the blind and visually impaired. Many thousands of soldiers suffered damage to their vision in World War I, and bombs and shrapnel took the vision of many others. The Chicago businessman Melvin Jones founded the charitable club in 1917 when he encountered a blind soldier begging. The organisation’s mission remains important to this day, and it organises eye exams for those who can only rarely visit doctors and provides eyeglasses to the visually impaired.

Photo: lions.hu

Advent is the main season for charity. During this time, people are more likely to think of those who do not receive gifts or enough food. Many people donate in response to seasonal calls by humanitarian groups, but the compassion of international organisations must serve the needy throughout the year.

Hungary joined this movement following the regime change, and 46 clubs now operate nationwide with varying profiles. The thousand members take community-building seriously, and foster unity though cultural, sporting and recreational events. As for their primary mission, there is indeed a great need in Hungary: each year, 6,000 people lose their sight. In cooperation with the eye clinic of Semmelweis University, Lions Clubs now carry out eye exams in 105 settlements. rotary.hu, visfontis.net, lions.hu @rotarymagyarország, @ Visfontis, @lionsclubs

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City Guide

PROGRAMME

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New Year’s Eve concert by the Budapest Strings

New Year’s Eve concert by Amadinda and Gábor Presser 31 December 2016, Saturday, 10:45 pm, Liszt Academy of Music Rare or one-off performances by the Amadinda Percussion Group and Gábor Presser are what makes their New Year’s Eve concerts special. The evening’s guest will be the Hot Jazz Band, which plays various styles of early jazz and early 20th century Hungarian dance music with an exceptionally authentic approach. The first part of the evening traditionally consists of the most popular works from Amadinda’s catalogue. The minutes leading up to midnight will then feature the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, while the final moments will be rung by Amadinda’s gong. The first performance of the New Year is traditionally a Strauss polka, after which Gábor Presser will take the stage.

1 January 2017, Sunday, 5 pm,

Those wishing to kick off the new year in a pleasant atmosphere should choose the Corinthia and its elegant ballroom. The Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra will play their traditional light-hearted programme, for which they always invite a celebrity guest. This year the Budapest Strings will be joined by Erika Miklósa, one of the most recognised voices in international opera. The programme will feature waltzes, polka, as well as csárdás music. budapestivonosok.hu

Photo: www.teleelettel.hu

zeneakademia.hu

Corinthia Hotel Budapest

City Guide

Péter Eötvös: Love and Other Demons Premiere of the Budapest version: 27 January 2017, Friday, 7 pm

Hungarian State Opera House

The fifth opera by the Kossuth Prize and Golden Lion-winning Peter Eötvös was commissioned by the Glyndebourne Festival and the BBC. The original, based on Gabriel García Márquez's novella of the same title, premiered in August 2008 at the famous festival under the direction of Silviu Purcarete. The composer revealed that he was captivated by the multi-layered tragedy of Love and Other Demons, from which he took two dramatic scenes: the conflict between white and black cultures, and the tragedy of love that is strangled by this racial divide.

Since the premiere in the United Kingdom, the opera has been performed in Vilnius, Chemnitz, Köln, Strasbourg and Bremerhaven. The Budapest version will be performed in its original language with Hungarian and English subtitles. Péter Eötvös will conduct, and the performance will be directed by Silviu Purcărete, who also oversaw the world premiere in Glyndebourne. elsosorban.opera.hu/eotvos-peter-szerelemrol-es-mas-demonokrol

Photo: opera.hu

On the basis of Márquez’s novel Del amor y otros demonios, Kornél Hamvai prepared a multilingual libretto using Yoruba, Latin and Spanish elements in addition to English. The work’s musical soundscape also presents three cultural layers: African, Spanish and Eötvös’s own European style.

City Guide

PROGRAMME

CORNER

3rd International Iván Nagy Ballet Gala 4 February 2017, Saturday, 7 pm Hungarian State Opera In 2015, for the first anniversary of the world-famous ballet dancer Iván Nagy’s death, the Hungarian State Opera organised a ballet gala night, and each year they invite the best from international ballet to perform. Soloists from the greatest ballet companies in the world – including the Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, the Bolshoi, the Paris Opera and the Dutch National Ballet – will join the artists of the Opera’s ballet ensemble to pay tribute to Iván Nagy’s knowledge and humanity. Nagy built the foundation for his eventful career in Budapest at the Hungarian Dance Academy and later performed at the Hungarian State Opera, the Washington Ballet, the New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. opera.hu

Hirdetes_210x94mm.ai 1 2016. 11. 21. 15:20:51

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