Is this Budapest's Grimmauld Place? Introducing the city's narrowest house

As discussed in our previous article, this house near Elizabeth Bridge evokes the Harry Potter universe and Hermione's Extension Charm. It's hard to believe it holds spacious apartments considering its facade facing Várkert Quay is only 6.2 meters wide, shrinking to 5.5 meters on Döbrentei utca.

This entire block near Elizabeth Bridge holds a special place in our hearts. Each building showcases a distinct architectural style and era. Among them, 16 Várkert rakpart undoubtedly steals the show, as

Built in 1897 by meter merchants Manó and Ármin Mandl, the design came from the minds of the duo Fülöp Weinréb and Frigyes Spiegel. To overcome the narrow plot, they cleverly designed a two-storey building (Döbrentei utca side has a different look) with three floors facing the quay. These architects are renowned for the near-excessively decorated Lindenbaum houses on Izabella utca, Budapest's first Art Nouveau building.

The house boasts 10 apartments and an additional floor was added in 1930, bringing the total to four. This rooftop apartment offers a luxurious layout with two street-facing rooms, a kitchen, bathroom, pantry, hall, toilet, and closet. The Mandl House received listed building status in the 1960s by the National Inspectorate of Historic Monuments (OMF).

An intriguing atmosphere awaits as you enter the pointed arch gate. A tiny, arcaded entrance hall leads to a small inner courtyard, perpetually shrouded in shadow even on sunny days. Don't miss the ornate wrought-iron railings. And speaking of Harry Potter, this tiny courtyard is another delightful connection to the novels. It resembles a narrow alleyway or dead-end in Diagon Alley, a perfect setting to imagine secretive wizards shopping for forbidden magic supplies.

Sources:

• Budapest100
• Lásd Budapestet!

(Cover photo: Kálló Péter - We Love Budapest)