Szatmári Gizella: Walks in the Castle District - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2001)

ter builder. Remnants of the mural upstairs were detached from the wall and deposited in a museum.

We now arrive at Szentháromság tér (Holy Trinity Square). Branching out of this in the direction of Krisztinaváros is Szentháromság utca, whose most important and most beautiful building is the so-called Old Town Hall (the new one is in Kapisztrán tér, to be introduced in Walk Four). The even-numbered side of this small street is taken up by the main faqade of the Town Hall (for its history, see Walk Three.) The clock on the Baroque turret rarely tells the correct time these days.

The ornamental Baroque faqade featuring Louis XVI style elements was added to the renowned confectioner’s called Ruszwurm cukrászda (at No. 7) after its reconstruction in 1698. The lion holding a bridle in its front paw on the keystone of the three-centred arch on the gate was meant to inform the passer-by of the former proprietor Vencel Hirschl’s trade. It seems the master made leather belts strong enough to subdue even a lion. Gothic sedilia can be seen in the gateway, and the courtyard features a Baroque-style cellar doorframe with a Bacchus astride a barrel on its keystone.

Presumably bakers of scone cakes and later milk- loaves or the sweet Oriental delicacy called halua had their businesses already in Turkish times. Today’s confectionery was established by Ferenc Schwabl. His widow later married Lénárt Richter who had the fine Empire furniture of the shop designed by sculptor Lőrinc Dunaiszky. The cherry-wood interior inlaid with mahogany was made by cabinet-maker Krautsiedler. It was recorded that the clock decorated with stylised sunrays on the two-pillared clock-wall opposite the entrance was plated with genuine gold. The confectionery was very popular and is reported to have supplied the Palatine’s table, and that archduchesses and other court notabilities had sweets ordered from the shop. According to anecdotal evidence, the famous Linzer specialty was first made by a later owner Antal Müller, who named his new recipe after lieutenant Rudolf Linzer, a fellow inmate at the infamous gaol called New Building, imprisoned there for his activities during the 1848-49 War of Independence. Other sources claim that the regimental office of Linzer was billeted on the premises of the confectioner’s during the revo27