Tanulmányok Budapest Múltjából 31. (2003)

A MÚLT RÉTEGEI - A SZENT GYÖRGY TÉR TÖRTÉNETE - Magyar Károly: A budavári Szent György tér és környékének kiépülése : történeti vázlat 1526-tól napjainkig 43-126

A BUDAVÁRI SZENT GYÖRGY TÉR ÉS KÖRNYÉKÉNEK KIÉPÜLÉSE because its neo-renaissance style broke the up to that time more-or-less homogeneous baroque - classicist view of the site. But with this the construction process did not come to its end, since the original building was two times enlarged towards the north yet: first in 1889-90, then in 1895-96. The later part, however, was made for the General Headquarters. All these works of course meant the total demolition of all the buildings standing formerly there. With the erection of the latest part, there was one single huge architectural ensemble formed in the central block stretching from the St. George Square to the Dísz Square. The construction works of the ministry-headquarters complex were to be followed around the turn-of-the century by two other ones of almost the same scale. As a result of them the square reached its 'final-face' at least until 1945. On the western side of the square in 1898 Erzherzog Joseph bought the former Teleki-palace (left by the General Headquarters) from the state, just like the private houses and barracks situated to the north of it up to the Fehérvári Gate. The later ones were entirely pulled down, since upon their place the garden and outbuildings of his palace were to be formed. In 1904-05 the old zopf-styled palace was totally altered in the mixed style of art nouveau and neo-baroque typical ofthat age. At the same time its dimensions were changed - especially in height but slightly also in area. As a last among the large-scale construction works having impact on the face of St. George Square we have to mention the enlargement of the Royal Palace. This process was started in the 1890-ies, but it was the turn-of-the-century, when the works reached the southern side of the square. As an introduction to this, the old, baroque building of the Zeughaus was demolished between 1897-1901. On the place of it there were the two new, northern wings of the palace-compound erected by 1905. These two wings - signed today as 'A' and 'B' buildings - were made for the purpose of representation. The northernmost, A wing - having direct gate towards the square - was the reception-building, through which visitors could approach the magnificent ballroom housed in the B building. Although the palace-compound now renewed was made according to the most modern expectations, and although it was quite frequently visited by the king, it never became a royal centre of importance of the Burg in Wien, or Schönbrunn. Beside the erection of the brand new wings also the old building of the royal stable was renewed, marvellous parks By the last works the development of the St. George square was closed in architectural aspect, but that was not so at all in functional sense. It was only the third phase (started in 1920) of this period, when the square came to the highest point of its functional importance. After so many more and less important events that happened during the confused years of 1918-19, in the April of 1920. Miklós Horthy, the newly elected governor of Hungary moved among the walls of the 'abandoned' Royal Palace that so became continual residence of his office and of his family for twenty-three years. By this act the St. George Square and its closer area really became the 'centre of the country' since the most important administrative functions were concentrated around it. In addition to the institutions enlisted above, here we have to mention the General Staff that occupied the military-building of the eastern side of the Színház utca (next to the theatre - the former Carmelite cloister). Some sixty or seventy meters from this 125