Tucked away in the cobblestoned district of Óbuda, the former residence of Hungarian writer Gyula Krúdy is now home to a charming museum. Here, permanent displays include old-fashioned shop interiors illustrating the history of commerce and catering. This same building also hosts relevant seasonal exhibitions, such as the recently opened Gellért 100 to commemorate the centenary of the Gellért Hotel, a splendid Art Nouveau landmark towering above the Buda riverfront.
Opened during the turmoil of World War I, during its long history, the Gellért has accommodated the likes of former US president Richard Nixon and the Dalai Lama. They both enjoyed the hotel’s fine facilities that are now brought to life through historic objects and images currently on show at the museum.
Also serving as a military base in its early days, the Gellért with its tranquil café and restaurants was considered the centre of the city’s social life between the wars. These contrasting roles are demonstrated in black-and-white photos mounted on the walls of the museum’s upper-level exhibition halls.
Other images juxtapose war-time bombing and bathers enjoying the pioneering wave pool installed in 1927, still in operation today. Back in the day, this fun plunge site was also advertised on lively posters, now displayed as a vintage relics at the museum.
Complementing this pictorial presentation are abundant objects once used across the Gellért’s separate restaurants. The hotel’s dining destinations earned global fame under Károly Gundel, whose main restaurant in City Park, the Gundel, helped place Hungary on the map of world gastronomy. Gold-rimmed plates, silver cutlery and a massive champagne bucket evoke an era when grand Gellért occasions featured in the society pages of the international press.
Now turned slightly yellow, old menu cards offer mushroom salad priced 8.10 forints and roast goose with French fries for 15.60 forints. As illustrated at the exhibition, the menu was often presented in German and French.
However, the most intriguing part of the showcase is a recreated room from the hotel, fitted with a finely carved wooden bed, chest of drawers and a dressing table, all created with Baroque-style design. Rooms and suites such as these have been named after visiting dignitaries, including Otto von Habsburg and Hungarian filmmaker Vilmos Zsigmond. If you’ve ever been to the Gellért, you’ll appreciate the objects on display that provide an insight into Hungarian hospitality.
Today, the hotel continues to entice gourmet guests with its Panorama Restaurant, where the menu lists goose liver served with cognac-infused apricots and the traditional Gellért chocolate roll. Family-friendly Sunday brunches also feature.
As for grand events, the annual St. Martin’s Day Wine Festival attracts thousands of guests to sample libations from all across the country in honour of St Martin of Tours, a patron saint of of Hungary. This year, the event takes place during 8-11 November.
Meanwhile, the Gellért Baths host an ever-increasing number of soakers and photographers alike. Recently, the spa has been inspiring leading fashion houses to feature their products in front of the turquoise Zsolnay tiles that embellish the building's interior. The ornate baths served as a venue for two international photo sessions by Gucci and GQ Magazine that featured Ryan Gosling posing in a dapper Ralph Lauren suit. These globally acclaimed projects show that lounging at the Gellért has always been more than just a passing fashion.
The exhibition is on view until 3 March 2019. See here for more details.
