Zeidler Miklós: Sporting Spaces - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2000)

The grandstand of the Margaret Island Athletics Centre

PRESERVES THE SHAPES OF ITS RECONSTRUCTION IN 1941

Although the buildings survived the siege of Budapest undamaged, the association was disbanded after the war for political reasons. The sports complex resumed operation first as the Pioneers’ Stadium, after which it was once again given the name MAC (which now stood for Margaret Island Athletics Club). In the meantime the terraces were fitted with pretty rows of seats and, in a more significant alteration, the space below the grandstand was covered with new glass sheets. What brought the greatest change was the roof put over the terraces, which may have given protection to the spectators against inclement weather, but it impaired the harmony of the building and its environment.

The first indoor swimming pool of Budapest was built in 1930 to the north of the stadium. There had been plans for the construction of these facilities for a long time, but what gave the final impetus to their realisation was a series of successes scored by Hungary’s swimmers and water-polo players. After the site was selected-over the City Park, the other major contender- work progressed at such a dazzling speed that the building, built to plans by Alfréd Hajós, was completed within nine months of the day construction work had begun. On 5 December 1930, politicians and journalists were given

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