Csepely-Knorr Luca: Barren Places to Public Spaces. A History of Publick Park Design in Budapest 1867-1914 (Budapest, 2016)
The Beginnings - The Urban Development of Pest-Buda and their Public Green Spaces Prior to the unification
Englischer Garten in Munich, 1806 / Etching based on a drawing by Lieut. Rickauer / SLUB Dresden - Deutsche Fotothek The mingling of various social groups in public parks and their joint amusement could lead to the moral improvement of the visitors; they could learn decency and politeness from each other. In addition to moral education, Hirschfeld found the opportunity to instruct the visitors intellectually as well. In his opinion, the park did not need to have space for valuable works of art or peculiar plants, but to those which can increase the knowledge of the visitors, which he divided into two groups. While artworks in the first group sought to awake patriotism and expand historic knowledge, those in the second group were intended to instruct in aesthetic terms (however these also needed to serve national pride). He wanted to erect buildings which were decorated with paintings about the country’s history, and heroic statuary and busts. He also proposed the erection of monuments decorated with inscriptions remembering famous historical events. Hirschfeld, referring to the public spaces in ancient Athens, believed that monuments to the heroes and benefactors of a city strengthen the sense of patriotism and educated the next generations. He wanted to improve the visitors’ sense of aesthetics by installing monuments to poets and painters who depicted nature in their work. Hirschfeld also wanted to set up national gardens in every Royal seat, where the monuments to poets, artists, philosophers could be erected. These efforts can be regarded as the foundation of “patriotic garden art". Hirschfeld’s ideas about the moral education of various social classes and the role of public parks in the intellectual instruction of the visitors remained crucial in the theory of public park design throughout the 19th century. Despite the broadening of intellectual programmes and aspects of education, and the changing emphasis on the relation between these various features, the main idea remained the same. In his Theory of Garden Art, Hirschfeld also analysed the practical questions of laying out public parks. In terms of location he recommended the largest possible open space with the most pleasant views. He reminded his readers of the importance of protection against weather, such as creating shade, and shelter against the wind and rain. While for the former follies and trees were important, for the latter buildings played the major role. If the area had special features, such as a lake or river, he recommended the use of these in the functional programme of the park, such as boating or fishing. He also advocated the erection of bandstands to create a cultural agenda for the park and recommended constructing small buildings for refreshments. Both the Englischer Garten in Munich and the Orczy Garden in Pest were pioneers in terms of open space design. Although in formal terms both were planned according to the design principles of the classical English landscape gardens, the ideological background was especially innovative and demonstrated that Hirschfeld’s theory appeared in Hungary at the same time as in other parts of the Continent. A few decades later, in 1829 the Orczy Garden was taken charge of by the so-called Ludoviceum, the Military Academy. The Festetics garden next to it became the botanical garden of the University. This meant the end of their roles as public parks. However, by this time this was taken over by a new green space, the Városliget Park, which will be briefly analysed later. 17
