Porhászka László: The Danube Promenade - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1998)

PÁLVATKBV A MHUMtTI SZÁIUHUSOK UJIÁÉPITÉSÉKK

[Károly Weichinger’s reconstruction design from 1946

usually higher than the Vigadó. One awardee, Vilmos Tárnok designed just two enormous hotel complexes, instead of separate buildings. (The idea resurfaced two decades later in designs made by József Finta.) Besides their modernity, these designs had the potential, at least in hindsight, of the depressing uniformity which was to characterise future housing developments.

Later the idea emerged that all the damaged buildings in the hotel row be demolished and their space be turned into parkland. That would have made visible the surviving section of Pest’s war-torn pride of a bygone era - an architecturally homogenous group of 19th century neoclassical buildings. What eventually happened was that, in the rather optimistic spirit of anticipating the construction of a new hotel row, the burnt-out but not hopelessly damaged buildings were all pulled down with the only exception of the Bristol and the Thonet Court.

In the event, the issue of the hotel row was dropped for a decade. Even the idea of renovating the Vigadó was debated, but the ruined building was at least conserved. However, a wave of changing street signs soon overtook the neighbourhood. As of 1946, the new name of Vigadó tér was Molotou tér. Real progress was only made in the field of transport. The bombed viaduct on the embankment was restored in 1946, the rebuilding of the Chain Bridge had also been completed by 20 November 1949,

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