The cobbled main square by City Hall, Városháza Park, has long been a subject of great debate. Eminently central, a few steps from Deák Ferenc tér metro station, it’s underused for most of the year except for a few Christmas market stalls and a communal rest area in the height of summer. Now, the Budapest authorities have announced a comprehensive design tender for the renovation of City Hall itself, Városháza Park and the building alongside that houses the once thriving Merlin Theatre.
With various cultural events and social forums held there in recent years, the space around Budapest City Hall has already shown its potential. Now the authorities envisage creating something permanent from the long fenced-off gravel car park, earmarked for 8,000 square metres of green space.
Green and climate-friendly
“As one of the most important elements of this renovation, we will return the fenced area in front of the Town Hall to the people of Budapest, where we will create a landscaped agora. Our goal is to make the new Városháza Park the most innovative, climate-conscious and greenest main square in Budapest, with active public participation and open social debate,” reads the application on the tender document just issued.
It is expected that by 2023, City Hall will be comprehensively renovated, the ground floor of the building will be opened and the Merlin building will also be revamped.
