Long considered as a hub for prostitution and other ill-disposed activities in Budapest, the city’s District VIII was an undesirable zone for decades, until modern city-development plans turned this formerly perilous precinct into a rising neighborhood. Found just one stop away from the centrally located Blaha Lujza Square, anyone who gets off tram line 4-6 at Rákóczi Square nowadays will come across an intriguing blend of classic and modern architecture, with the recently added contemporary construction of the M4 metro station now ironically covering the plaza’s crown jewel, the Rákóczi Market Hall – as if this modern transport hub was specifically built to disguise the area’s infamous past. Meanwhile, observing the surrounding scenes blending an old-school hardware store with an African beauty parlor, and traditional local eateries with surreal watering holes, the square appears as a bridge between vintage city settings and contemporary Budapest.
Though the opening of the green metro line undoubtedly helped the area improve and attract a fresh mix of new businesses around the square, the potential of Rákóczi Square has not yet been fully exploited, as outdated preconceptions from the past cause many people to avoid this currently emerging neighborhood. To highlight the importance of this downtown city section, grassroots organizations are now teaming up with local and international urban-planning associations that aim to make this centrally located plaza a prominent Budapest hotspot, drawing attention to those who live and work in the neighborhood.
During September 18-21, a multidisciplinary event series draws city dwellers to the Rákóczi Market Hall, where various creative workshops are happening to highlight the importance of this almost-forgotten facility. A special “crafts team” sets up a temporary base at the bazaar to design practical items for the vendors, including creatively constructed crates and a unique stall of a complete shelf system that will be handed over to market vendors to use when the Rákóczi Square Days conclude. Meanwhile, the local Verkstaden serigraph team dreams up one-of-a-kind T-shirts, bags, and aprons enhanced with market-themed designs – during the afternoons, the workshop opens to the public, when anyone can try the applied printing techniques. In addition, the temporary publishing house of Hurrikan Press within the market hall will produce specific flyers that promote businesses around Rákóczi Square, while locals present stories about the notorious history of the neighborhood by speaking, drawing, and using various ways of communication to help break down language barriers.
On September 21st from 10am to 4pm, a select group of international and local speakers will discuss ways of combining bottom-up initiatives with top-down solutions to facilitate urban-planning processes, and presenters will highlight international examples to compare them with Budapest’s current urban development issues during the Mind the Space conference. The stimulating speeches are happening at Mikszáth Square's Lumen Café, and this event is free to join, but preliminary registration is required to attend.
Finally, on Thursday evening from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, a Market Hall Evening Session concludes the inspiring get-together, where the stimulating series of new items and ideas that emerge during the week will be presented to the public. This prominent presentation is accompanied by high-spirited performances happening across the maze of walkways inside the market hall, including folk-music shows and contemporary-dance performances, all to breathe new life into Rákóczi Square’s fascinating fair and its surrounding scenery. We really appreciate that this underutilized neighborhood is finally getting time in the spotlight, but we hope that with all of these new initiatives, the area won’t lose its intriguing old-world charm.
For more information about the programs, check out the event’s Facebook page.
