The capital of Hungary was created 141 years ago, in the autumn of 1873 when Pest, Buda, Óbuda and Margaret Island were unified. To celebrate the city's birthday, we've prepared a photo selection, which shows the state of the city from between 30 and 100 years ago. These images capture places, which have undergone significant change since.

1/10

1984

The ramp of Árpád Bridge was built over Flórián Square over some approximately 2000-year-old Roman remains. The overpass cuts the square in two, and the pedestrian underpass (where this lángos place is found) makes this traffic junction a three-level complex. In the foreground of the picture, there is a Dacia. You can see it's a taxi from the sign on its top and the adhesives on its body.

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1974

This is the picture of Kálvin Square as viewed from the steeple of the recently renovated Protestant church. In the background, you can see the National Museum, on the left side there is an empty lot where Korona Hotel now stands. On the right is where we now find the Kálvin Center office building. At the time the tram line branched off towards Baross Street as well.

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1964

For Budapest, one of the greatest events of 1964 was the reconstruction of the Elizabeth Bridge, which had been destroyed in World War II. At the time, there was a tram operating along Rákóczi Road and the bridge. Looking down from a pylon on the Pest-side, it is clear that Március 15. Square has changed a lot since. Called Eskü Square back then, it was home to the memorial of Queen Elisabeth from 1932 until its removal.

4/10

1954

This photo shows the pylon on the Pest-side of the blown up Elisabeth Bridge with the Gellért Hill in the background. Like the bridge, the steeple of the Belvárosi Church was also damaged in World War II.

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1944

1944 was hard on the city and its residents. This photo documents the bombing of the Manfréd Weiss Steel and Metalworks from the direction of Budaörs. The B-24 Liberator aircrafts of the United States Army Air Forces are easy to recognise. Fun fact: you can get to know the secrets of bunkers in Csepel via guided tours.

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1934

Our recent article on the past and future of City Park mentions that there used to be a huge 14,000-square metre building near where Petőfi Hall stands today. The Industrial Hall built for the 1885 Hungarian Fair was destroyed in World War II, in 1944. The iron construction elements of the exhibition centre came from the Schlick factory.

7/10

1924

The Hungarian Parliament as viewed from the Buda-side lower embankment. The photo proves the embankment had a different covering and significantly less traffic at the time, hence it was perfect for a stroll and breath of fresh air.

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1914

Not many are aware that the area around the Millennial Memorial was a park-like square filled with flower beds at the beginning. It was re-christened as Hősök tere ('Heroes' Square') in 1932, and paved in 1937 for the International Eucharistic Congress.

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1904

In this photo, you can see the courtyard of the Erzsébet Nőiskola ('Elisabeth Women's School'); the Blanka Teleki Secondary School of today, which was used as an ice skating rink in winter. The construction of the Art Nouveau building was finished in 1902, as designed by Sándor Baumgarten and Zsigmond Herczeg.

10/10

1894

In this photo by György Klösz, you can see Hal Square at the intersection of the Molnár Street and the Irányi Street (in what's now the 5th District). Always busy, the Square was home to fish market.