famous budapest buildings: párisi udvar

Submitted by Sosna on Mon, 2010-09-06 12:06

Parisian Arcade (Párisi udvar) located at Petőfi Sándor utca 2 is one of the most impressive buildings the Hungarian capital is so famous for.

The name of the building Párisi udvar comes from the Paris Street next to the building.

Built between 1909 and 1913 on the plot that used to be one of the most expensive ones at that time.

The building was commissioned by Central City Savings Bank which wanted to have a serious façade without excessive ornamentation.

Well, their concept of excessiveness was obviously very different from today’s.

The tender was won by German-born architect Henrik Schmahl who also designed numerous buildings and villas in Budapest, including Uránia Cinema.

The dimly lit interior passageway with its impressive glass dome offers the atmosphere of Oriental bazaar. Except, you don’t find many (open) shops here, for some reason the arcade is not popular with shop owners these days.

The glass dome seen from inside.

And from outside.

Floor tiling.

Switches from probably 50s.

The roof covered with green and red majolica tiles looks like glittering cake icing. The majolica tiles and glazed bricks are also used in façade.

The staircase in apartments part.

The hexagonal shaft with mosaic windows used to house an elevator that, unfortunately, didn’t survive (now, it is a ventilation shaft.) According to elderly tenants it was a very elegant lift with mirrors and benches.

The building is not in its best condition today, especially inside, but it's impossible even to imagine how much it would cost to properly restore it.