Radó Dezső: Parks and Forests - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1992)

Shade and light on the Danube Embankment

St. ISTVÁN PARK

In 1928 the Budapest Public Works Council decided to create the St. István Park, commissioning buildings houses with a homogeneous appearance in the neighbourhood. The 33,173 m2 park constructed from 1930 to 1938, is triangular in shape. The Danube bank forms the base of the triangle which narrows towards Pozsonyi út and ends with a small square between Pozsonyi út and Hollán Ernő utca. This was the first time in Budapest when the design of a park preceded the design of the surrounding buildings.

The apex of the triangle is occupied by a playground with a soccer court and ping-pong tables. This area is framed by plane trees mixed with maple, Japanese pagoda tree, and spiny oleaster. The central part has a strictly symmetrical layout with stone pavilions at the two corners serving as gates, shelters and ornaments. Soccer courts occupy the centre of the park. Climbing frames are located on the south side and there is a playground for toddlers on the north side. The soccer courts are separated from the playgrounds by a regularly cut mulberry hedge-another curiosity of the park. Apart from lindens, birches and spiny oleasters, both playgrounds boast fine old locust trees. The hedges here are made of privet and tamarisk. Annual flowers

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