As we reported recently, the renovation of Blaha Lujza tér should soon begin, both of the square itself and the historic Corvin department store lining its south side.
Opened in 1926 this once elegant building was designed by Zoltán Reiss, the interiors and surfaces by Ödön Beck. It was decorated with works by Fülöp and Simon Pongrácz. Beyond the elegant glass-roofed entrance hall, its four floors awaited customers with a variety of porticos and playful features.
The Corvin got its tin appearance in 1967 because at the time it was considered that
artificial stone cladding would have been too expensive, so the original façade
was covered with metallic sheeting.
In 2018, this façade was also removed,
and a protective cladding – depicting the original exterior –
covered the building. This itself has now been torn down, leaving only the
scaffolding, ready for Corvin’s renovation.
