Csepely-Knorr Luca: Barren Places to Public Spaces. A History of Publick Park Design in Budapest 1867-1914 (Budapest, 2016)
Public Park design in Budapest during the second half of the 19th Century
Keresztély Ilsemann, Plan for the landscaping of a part of Széna Square, 1893 / HU BPL XV.17.d.l41S.a. 2/9.1 Close to the Buda Boulevard, the arrangement of another green area, Marczibányi Square, is worthy of attention. Keresztély Ilsemann created two designs for this area, the first in in 1898, and the second two years later, in 1900. The site was bought by the City of Budapest from the Inland Revenue especially to create a green space.274 The construction of the park started the same year, and the horticultural journal A Kerf reported that a charity event was held there to support the Buda Library.275 The layout shows a major grassed area in the form of a hippodrome, that was surrounded with rows of trees. The four corners of the plot were linked to the central element by avenues of trees in rows of four. The layout is simple; there are no signs of ornamental elements, such as flower beds or other fashionable 19th century decorative component The journal AJCertpublished an article about the petitions submitted by various University clubs, such as the Buda Gardeners Club, to hand over the park for sports.276 The application was approved by Committee for Promenades of the Municipality. It is highly likely that this was the reason for Ilsemanns second plan. The motive for the second plan highlights the changing function of public parks, and the growing importance of organised sporting facilities. From a stylistic point of view, the park is especially important, as Ilsemann moved away from the formal layouts of private gardens towards a simple, more logical way of organising the circulation of the park without any unnecessary ornamentation.Marczibányi Square on an early 20th century postcard / Private collection 88
