An iconic example of eclectic architecture, Budapest’s Keleti Railway Station first opened to passengers on August 16, 1884. Famous Hungarian painters Károly Lotz and Mór Than created the station’s stunning frescoes, but here are eight more interesting facts about this historic Hungarian transport hub.
Accordingly LelepoThe Keleti Railway Station was built on three thousand piles. Due to the high water level encountered during the construction work, the building had to be significantly reinforced. The station was designed by the architects Gyula Rochlitz and János Feketeházy.
The first train departed from Keleti Station for Miskolc on August 16, pulled by a steam locomotive. Remarkably, the station was equipped with electric lighting from the start, with 644 light bulbs illuminating both the interior and exterior areas for passengers.
Keleti was originally called “Budapest Central Station”, but was renamed in 1892. During World War II, Allied bombing raids by American and British forces caused severe damage to the station, hitting the waiting rooms and main halls.
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Keleti Station still shines
In front of the train station, at what is now Baross Square, a pool built for protective purposes served as a fire-fighting water tank for bathers.
The façade of the station is 43 metres high and is crowned by an allegorical figure created by Gyula Bezerédi (1858-1925), a famous Hungarian artist. Bezerédi’s works can also be seen in Pannonhalma and in Budapest’s City Park, including his remarkable statue of George Washington, unveiled in 1906. Interestingly, there are statues of three American presidents in Budapest: Washington, Ronald Reagan and George Bush.
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Photo: FB/MÁV
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Photo: FB/MÁV
Interestingly, the original Bezerédi sculpture on the façade of Keleti had to be replaced in the 1990s.
Finally, there is an extensive network of cellars beneath the station that served as shelters during the war.
Photo: FB/MÁV
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