Among the iconic late modern buildings of Budapest, the Körszálló (round hotel), towering on the edge of the Buda hills, holds a special place. Designed by György Szrogh and opened in 1967, the hotel is not only interesting from an architectural point of view. In a photo report, hely.hu showed what the building, designed by KÖZTI, looked like in its heyday and what it looks like today in its pre-renovation state.
The 64-meter-high, cylindrical hotel on the edge of Rózsadomb has been a divisive sight since it was built, writes hely.hu. The architect himself referred to it as a “half-hammered nail,” others compared it to a can of beer, and still others consider the iconic building one of their favorites.
Just like other pieces of late modern architecture, the Körszálló has been the subject of many controversies throughout its history, and it is not different today – the proposed demolition and reconstruction of the building has generated professional debate. In connection with reporting about the plans, hely.hu toured the building, presenting what the Körszálló once looked like and what it looks like today.
The hotel was built as one of the socialist/communist prestige constructions, with the aim of having a high-rise building that would promote the development of tourism during the era. The site was originally home to a restaurant called Florida Kiosk, which was destroyed during the war. This is where the name Hotel Florida, used in the original concept, came from, which was later changed to Hotel Budapest during construction.
The Körszálló quickly became one of the centers of social life in the capital, despite the fact that it was never really successful as a hotel, operating at 50-60 percent occupancy even in its heyday. Due to its location far from the city center, it was not popular with tourists, despite its wonderful panorama overlooking Buda Castle and its green surroundings.
Further interesting facts about the Körszálló and contemporary photos are available at the following link: https://hely.hu/hirek/felkialtojel-a-budai-horizonton-fotoriport-a-korszallorol/
