The history of Újpest goes much farther back in time than just the old brick warehouses, or rows of panel houses which we see today from the bus window. Ancient Celts once lived on the shores here, and today's Váci út was formally a Roman military road.
Nomadic tribes made their way in and out of the area, changing very little, but all appreciating the water highway of the Danube. The ninth century saw the first settlements by incoming conquering Hungarians, followed by waves of invasion, resettlement, invasions and resettlement again.
Újpest as we know it begun in the 1800s, when Count István Károlyi, a landowner of a huge estate north of Pest, began to rent the land for the purpose of planting vines. The area was recognised as an independent village in 1840, and from there its population grew exponentially.
By 1910 it had already exceeded 55,000. Industry was a driving factor in the village's growth, and we can still see the old brick warehouses today.
After the industrial complexes, the Soviet-inspired panel buildings next came to the fore, and today thousands of residents of Újpest call these vast apartment blocks home.
Yet more inspiring architecture can also be admired. The Town Hall is an extraordinary masterpiece of eclectic Art Nouveau, with a statue of the Knight Roland at the centre of its main gable.
Located just behind, on Szent István tér, is the Queen of the Heavens Church, another landmark. Originally there were five bells in the bell tower, but World War II saw damage befall the church, and today only four remain.
Another reason for the quick expansion of Újpest was the fact that Jews not allowed to settle in Pest could move in here.
Between 1885 and 1886, a grand synagogue was built on what is now
Berzeviczy utca, and we can still view it today.
Following World War II, the
synagogue was renovated, with four reliefs installed on the walls to document the
hardships faced by Jews before, during and after the war.
Újpest Water Tower was built in the early 1900s with reinforced concrete, which was considered very modern at the time. The imposing structure was designed with ornamentation in mind, and it rises above the other buildings in the district with artistic flair. In fact, there were plans to demolish the tower in 1944, but residents protested. Now, it is a protected monument.
Újpest is also known for its football team. Since 1922, their home ground has been the Szusza Ferenc Stadion. A flood in 1945 destroyed the stands, and the stadium was recently renovated. Hungary were unbeaten here in 24 internationals from 1948 to 2006 – a span of 58 years. This was also where Újpest played Newcastle in the famous Fairs’ Cup final of 1969.
The architecture of District IV varies wildly across the map, from old industrial warehouses constructed out of red brick, to the hundreds of concrete, panel apartment buildings which house residents by the thousands, and the seemingly random sprinkling of stately villas. Modern construction is slowly being added around the Socialist bohemiths, but the history of the area is still easily spotted.
Regeneration will take longer than in adjoining trendy District XIII. Reinforced by an industrial past and pride in its football team, Újpest has a strong sense of local identity, a community spirit that has kept it going through war and economic decline.
