Chapter 5

VI./VII. District.

You may have noticed that in my posts I try to grasp the qualities, the perks of a certain district, a certain area. Some are thought to be homogenous; the vast greens of the XIV. district. Some I described as bipolar; the inner and the peripheral premises of the VIII district. In this entry, however, I try to twist a bit on the proverbial screw; I will examine a couple of blocks of buildings which represent multiple aspects at the same time.

[Disclaimer: my original intention was to write only about the VII. district, a.k.a. Erzsébetváros. Yet, as I roamed the streets and took photographs I accidentally entered the VI. district, a.k.a. Terézváros. I found that my impressions qualified for both districts so I shall give them a single entry.]

Old and new. That is how I’d summarize the atmosphere I felt when entered Erzsébetváros and then walked to Terézváros. One can gaze upon ancient houses and then out of nowhere a newly constructed apartment complex pops up. When thinking of Budapest, and especially the traditional, historical parts, one imagines richly ornamented houses which tower above the passers-by. However, as in all cities around the world, progress is inevitable. This means that the old architecture style is being replaced with modern shapes and colors.

Both Terézváros and Erzsébetváros are one of the smallest districts; however, they host the most residents. This means that they have the highest density of population in Budapest; the leader is Erzsébetváros with 29 357 per km². All the above mentioned data lead to what I call the “New-York Effect”. There are no vacant lots to build on; however, there is a demand for more and more apartments. Thus, although these walls are markers of the previous centuries they are demolished and sacrificed on the altar of progress. New, modern office buildings and condos emerge, washing away the past and making room for the future.












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If the past-future collision is one axis on the Inner City’s coordinate system then the other axis is culture clash. The VII. district is famous of being the Jewish district in Budapest, in fact, it’s considered to be the Jewish district of Hungary. During and prior to WW II. the Jewish residents of the city were forced to live in ghettos. The ghetto was not more than 20 something blocks and one park, the outer walls were roughly equivalent to the limits of the VII. district. After the war a large portion of the Jewish community stayed among these walls, adding a unique flavor to the cultural stew.

We only need to take a walk on Dohány street and will see the largest synagogue in Eurasia and the second largest one in the world. Walking deeper into Erzsébetváros we’ll see signs of Jewish heritage; stores selling Torahs, kosher butchers, and other, smaller synagogues. What seems to be homogenous on first sight, however, turns out to be more varied under scrutiny.

On forums residents complain about the noise; the large number of pubs and their drunken patrons; the constant renovations and the disappearance of the old architectural themes. Yes, the aforementioned progress influenced the Jewish community as well. The only kosher food store that was in the vicinity was closed down recently. Sex shops and prostitutes satisfy those who seek the joys of flesh. The Turkish, the Arabs, and representatives of other Middle Eastern countries open their shops in downtown.











Solution? Accept change. It is inevitable. Everything undergoes this process, sometimes we just don’t see it. No matter how small or big, history will reshape everything; not a whole district, nor even Budapest is immune to the waves of time. Slowly, people will have understand and live with the fact that everything they knew is no more. Until then, enjoy it while you can.

Chapter 4

VIII. District.


Again. No, this is no mistake. I did intend to write a second part of this entry. If you read the previous post then you might had a feeling that something was missing. A sensation that this is perhaps not the whole story. And you were right. As I said, almost everybody has an idea of Józsefváros. To be frank, this image is not about the Palace district. It is about the dark, slummy side, the part where innocent passers-by are in danger and one may not even get out alive.

Movies, animated pictures, songs were written about this infamous part of the city, a town within the metropolis with its own rules. Is this true? Like most common places, this too has a certain kernel of truth. Of course, I may not be able to dig to the very bottom of the situation, I can still offer a show-around, though.

It is a fact that in and before the '90s there was a massive network of prostitution, however, it was eliminated with the help of public surveillance systems. Needless to say, this is something that cannot be purged out completely, but I must add that anywhere within the limits of Budapest this is a problem and this district isn't causing any more complication than any other. Earlier it was a well known fact, a principle even, that on Rákóczi square one will find dozens of prostitutes along the street. Today, one can take a midnight walk around there and will see none.

It is also a fact (and a common argument used against Budapest by non-Budapestians) that dirt and homeless people are everywhere. Both can be seen, indeed, however, homeless people are mostly appearing when free lunch is distributed on certain days and only on certain squares. Dirt... Well dirt is a something like the courtisans. All the other districts have it, moreover, all the other cities are guilty too, but everybody likes to point on the 8th district. Not to mention that Józsefváros has the biggest urban renewal program in Eastern Europe.

Does this mean that it has become a lovely little downtown? No. Definitely not. There is still loads and loads of work. The thing is with the 8th district that it does have its own sub cultural levels. Its own little, nothing-alike world. Where you may ask? Where to access? For one thing, not on the wide, sunlit roads and boulevards which where exemplified in the previous post. No, for this unique land you will have to go down alleys. Enter arcades. Go through glided corridors. Be part of it. There is this unbelievable segment of our city with a unique atmosphere. It may not be what we are used to but that's the point. If you descend to it, take a deep breath from it's somewhat foul air. You may gain valuable experience. That is all what living is about.

Chapter 3

VIII. District.

It goes by many names. Józsefváros (Josephtown), Nyolcadik kerület (8th district), Nyolcker(8th dis) Alsó-Külváros (Lower-Suburb). No matter what you call it, it all means the same. It's a big dinner table which is is designed by the finest scientists and academics, created by many tireless craftsmen, decorated by the respective amounts of Roma minority, and served on by the Chinese. For those who live here this image is quite close to reality. However, it isn't only them who seem to possess knowledge about their district.

Everybody knows, or seems to know something about it, heard tales, or know somebody who’s seen a movie about it. Being Hungary’s little melting pot, it is something we don’t otherwise have here, but because it seems very western like with its wild romanticism it evokes admiration... It’s a bit yellow, a bit sour, but its ours as a Hungarian saying goes.*
Let's get into the formal details.



It is located in the city center. It is not widely known, but in medieval times not even its westernmost streets were part of the town that stood there. Where now the Astoria stands earlier only sewers ran and waste was disposed of from the stonewalls by city guards. Of course, by that we can see that it was no wonder that in the olden times Budapest wasn't the capital of Hungary; it was a wee town, surrounded from one side by a wall and the Danube by the other. Fortunately later this area expanded and this peripheral place grew into an important segment of the city. Today it is marked by Baross street, Rákóczi road, Üllői road, Kálvin square, and Keleti (Eastern) Railway Station.

Not only did its physical dimensions expand, but also its intellectual ones.
The most ancient universities are located here, like the Eötvös Loránd University, Semmelweis University, Academy of Drama and Film, prestigious libraries, like the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library. Furthermore, the building of the Hungarian Radio is situated here. Not to mention the National Museum. When sending postcards one of these streets will definately be on the pictures. Truly, walking certain paths will make you feel as a cosmopolitan citizen.


If there is something which tells you about a district then it's the people who walk its streets asking you of something. If you are on the wide, sunlit streets of the 8th districts, two kinds of people may ask about your opinion: surveyors with huge cameras and tourists looking for directions with maps in their hands. Therefore the citizens of the Múzeum körút are always eager to help. Perhaps because of the proximity of the English department, maybe due to all the fancy coffeehouses, these people will surely help you. Were you to do street music in the Astoria subway, people will reward you generously and you are likely to meet all sorts of artists, producers, or simply, other street musicians.

This district serves as my second home because I'm compelled to visit it almost every day. First, I wasn't particularly happy that this smog-ridden concrete palace will be the scene of my education; however, I quickly realized that it has so much more to offer. Its parks, its avenues, its shops are all worthy of being located in downtown. The mixture of cultural and ethnical elements makes sure that one, be they tourists or not, will never cease to amaze.


*Said saying first appeared in the Hungarian film satire A tanú (The witness) and is a popular phrase ever since.

Chapter 2

XIV. District.

This is the place where I begin my journey, for this is the district where I live. If you’ve never been to the east side of the city, God forbid, if you’ve never crossed the Danube then you might have some difficulties picturing this place. Imagine a huge, flatland which is bigger than districts VI, VII, and VIII combined.

It is well-known that it serves as one of the “living-districts.” The majority of the buildings are family houses with moderately sized backyards. Whenever the ice cream truck drives by two things happen. 1.: Kids run out of the houses, 2.: The dogs go mad. The whole atmosphere is very small-town-like. To elaborate the metaphor even further I’d say the district is like its houses. People get back here at evenings to have a rest from all day’s work. It is quiet, it has loads of backyards, its air is refreshing.

On the other hand, it doesn’t offer any entertainment, and one has to travel quite a lot to get to the office quarter. Its greatest “town center” is on the Örs vezér square, and that tells something; one of the major fun factors is a trip to the international furniture store. Which, I must add, is quite fun, though this is probably my institutionalized mind speaking.

It is not a surprise that the people who walk these streets are like hard working fathers, enjoying their Sunday afternoons. Pedestrians do have a tendency of slowly lumbering from one side of the street to another. Drivers actually give people the opportunity to cross the road; sadly, this is a feat that must be written down as a curiosity.

There are huge neighbor communities, something which is unseen in downtown. I remember, years earlier there was an assault on a woman not far away from here; for weeks the people would talk about it in the nearby pubs, shops, and bus stops. For some people this could be irritating. For those who seek a taste of rural life in the proximity it is perfect.

Chapter 1, in which I introduce Us to Ourselves

Although I was born in Budapest, I lived my life prior to my university studies in a little town, Gyöngyös. Like most of the people who live in the countryside, I too thought that our capitol was a homogenous contraption, a huge, evenly designed machine; I also assumed that the citizens think in the same fashion, in a Budapest way. When I needed to move here I soon realized that instead of a clockwork, this city is more like you and me, in the sense that it is, in fact, an organic creature. It breathes, it observes, it thinks. Just like the living body, this city has different parts, strongly connected to eachother, with different functions. It has the same needs. And vices. It needs fresh air, although it constantly exhales poisonous gases. It craves food and water and it turns them into waste. It needs other cities to communicate with, for it is a social creature. Let’s face it: we are not in Budapest, we are Budapest.


What I mean with this farfetched metaphor is that this thing we live in has different areas which have different purposes. In the future, I shall examine each district with the accuracy of an anatomist, trying to identify the vital spots, those places which give a certain kind of characteristic, and the boundaries where these different parts meet and hopefully clash. I trust that instead of a Frankenstein’s monster I will find something magnificent.