Architects: POTZNER Ferenc, POTTYONDY Péter, POTZNER Ádám, SZABÓ Orsolya
Thanks to the available as-built drawings, the building complex, designed by Ybl Miklós, has been reconstructed true to its original design. The historic complex has also been enriched by special, new spaces and connections unknown to the public so far. After the renewal of the historic part, a multifunctional event hall and an underground parking garage were built under the garden, followed by the rebuilding of the geometrical garden.
The Neo-Renaissance Castle Garden Bazaar, designed by Ybl Miklós, was built between 1875-1883. It was part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, nevertheless it had been one of the 100 most endangered historic monuments in the world since 1996. The original purpose of the complex was to create a border of the Castle Garden on the terrace of the Danube embankment, enhancing the spectacular image of the Royal Palace in the cityscape. It also had some retail functions, then it accommodated ateliers, exhibitions and drawing schools. The complex is flanked by the former living quarters of the royal guards on the north and by two apartment buildings on the south. The apartment buildings are joined by a row of bazaars, followed by two-storied pavilions with open niches: the Staircase Pavilion and the Niche Pavilion. The Gloriette, with its two domes, is located at the axis between them, there are stepped ramps on both sides leading to the promenade of the garden terrace. Stairs lead from the main entrance, guarded by a pair of lions, to the lower terrace of the Gloriette, where female statues, symbolising the four seasons with their attributes, stand above the fluted columns. The street fronts of the pavilions are decorated with painted mythological figures. The iconography of the Bazaar represents the harmony of the world through the balance between untouched nature and cultivated land. The complex shows the influence of numerous Italian buildings, but Ybl’s genius was able to combine them in perfect harmony and he integrated the medieval fortifications of the site into the complex and the access routes to the royal palace as well. The Castle Garden Bazaar suffered serious damages during World War II. It had become the location of the Buda Youth Park from 1961 till 1984, then the complex had to be closed due to its dangerous condition. After this, despite the numerous proposals about its utilization, the Castle Garden Bazaar has stood empty for almost 30 years.
Owing to the reconstruction, the Niche Pavilion, besides its original role in the architectural composition, has become the street level entrance of the multifunctional event hall, built under the garden behind the historic part of the complex. The entrance hall is fronted by the Niche Pavilion and the original curved brick wall of the bazaar, which demonstrate the amazing expertise of the craftsmen in the 19th century. There is an elevator in the middle of the entrance hall, going up to the rebuilt historical garden, also accessible from the raised southern end of the hall, through the Elisabeth Stairs. New spaces with a particular atmosphere have been created under the stepped ramp, behind the brick walls. The divisible event hall for 900 to 1200 people is an “acoustic box”, independent from its environment, with mobile stands and programmable pixel screens on the lateral walls. A multistory car park with a pedestrian exit to Ybl Square has been built to the north from the parking garage under the event hall as far as Dry Ditch. The geometrical garden is the reconstruction of the garden existing in Ybl’s time, its upper walkway connects it to the southern landscape garden. The Foundry Court has been given a contemporary look, it is bordered towards the hill by a cafe pavilion. The Royal Guard Palace offers a space for young people. The residential buildings at the two ends of the complex function as exhibition halls, the connecting rows of bazaars accommodate eating and drinking places. The pedestrian axis leading up to Castle Hill is running between the reconstructed Neo-Renaissance garden and the Foundry Court, along the southern curtain wall, from the Staircase Pavilion on Ybl Miklós Square to the enclosed courtyards around the royal palace and to the higher part of the palace above. A hidden route of ascent is running behind the Staircase Pavilion through the Water-Carrier Corridor. An escalator connects the top of the Water-Carrier Corridor and the express lift, which goes up to the palace level top of the southern curtain wall. The terrace of the Middle Garden, between the walls, is accessible from the Foundry Court through steps along the top of the southern curtain wall. The new staircases and elevator towers, as well as the canopy above the ramparts of the Water-Carrier Corridor are characterized by minimal art and the use of contemporary materials. The canopy structure and the cladding of the elevator towers are made of Corten steel. The Castle Garden Bazaar complex, owing to the lighting, is an important element of the nighttime cityscape.
Location: Budapest I., Ybl Miklós tér 1–6. Built: 2014
Reconstruction Architects: POTZNER Ferenc, POTTYONDY Péter Interior architect: DÉVÉNYI Tamás (Budapesti Műhely) Landscape architect: STEFFLER István (Garten Studio Kft.) Area: 32,700 m2
Buda Castle Development of Access Routes Architects: POTZNER Ferenc, POTZNER Ádám, SZABÓ Orsolya Interior architects: DÉVÉNYI Tamás (Budapesti Műhely), BALIGA Kornél (Korinterni Bt.)
