Csepely-Knorr Luca: Barren Places to Public Spaces. A History of Publick Park Design in Budapest 1867-1914 (Budapest, 2016)
Public Park design in Budapest during the second half of the 19th Century
The beginning of the landscaping of Gellért Hill The large scale and progressive development plans for Gellért Hill were not accomplished. Nevertheless, the parks surrounding Gellért Hill, which owed their construction to the ‘Spa-City’ idea, and the construction of the newbridge, also showed several novelties and innovative ideas in the design thinking of the period. The first tree planting on the hill started in 1872, financed by the City of Buda. Because of financial difficulties, the Board of Public Works contributed to it in 1873. At this time, public paths were created on the Hill, saplings were planted, and the rocks were strengthened on the southern slope.397 Although the removal of the rocks had started according to the recommendations of the Board of Public Works, the creation of the parks and development of the area did not progress until the last decades of the century. The evolution of Gellért Hill was due to the construction of two new Danube crossings, Ferenc József (today Szabadság) Bridge and Erzsébet Bridge, which was made possible by an Act in 1893.398 Because of the building of Ferenc József Bridge, the surroundings of the Sáros Baths were demolished, which also gave new impetus to the developments. In 1897 the construction of the Gellért Embankments had started, and after long debates, the Citadel was taken over by the municipality from the military forces. The original idea was to demolish the Citadel, however, at the end its de-fortification, only parts of it were demolished. In the same year, the Gellért Hill kiosk was built on the hill, and its immediate surroundings were landscaped.399 The kiosk on Gellért Hill, built in 1896, and its environs as shown on a 1903 map of Budapest / HU BFL XV.16.e.2Sl/cop9 BUDAPEST Odvgîlot a, GalUrthogyi Kio*kk>ól Salut du Kloique Mont Gáliéit Kiosk on Gellért Hill, postcard from 1912/NSZL Coll, of Posters and Small Prints 129
