Kiss Katalin: Industrial Monuments - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1993)

Interior of the electric substation

IN THE COURTYARD OF THE TOWN HALL, AROUND 1930

top class performances, a drama school, jazz groups and guests of the restaurant.

As the death of the architect Anton Erhardt Martinelli in 1741 prevented the Town Hall’s Károly körút wings from being completed, the open courtyard was gradually encroached on by various small temporary buildings. Hopefully, many will be demolished. The special building of the former electric station, however, deserves the appreciation of posterity.

A FORMER ELECTRIC SUBSTATION

V, Markó utca 9

In 1926 the Budapest municipality invited tenders for the planning of an electric substation. The competition generated much interest among architects, for sixty- nine applications arrived. Perhaps this is understandable, for in those years of economic crisis there were hardly any building commissions. The competition was won by Ernő Román, but the design of Dénes Györgyi was also appreciated as very valuable from the city planning point of view. It was a great pleasure for the municipality, when the two architects announced they would prepare a new, joint design.

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