St Gellért Square
St Gellért Square is one of the most beautiful places in Budapest, where not very long ago Muddy Bath awaited guests with its mud bath therapies and where slopes of Gellért Hill rose directly from the river bed. Its current arrangement was formed when building Ferenc József Bridge, today known as Liberty Bridge in 1894 slopes were carved and Muddy Bath was pulled down.
The square name after Bishop St Gellért hides hot springs below supplying Gellért Spa with warm water. Gellért Spa was built from 1912 to 1917 by the plans of Artúr Sebestyén, Ármin Hegedűs and Izidor Ármin and opened in 1918. The spa complex was the first luxurious facility in Budapest and was the most modern spa of Europe at the time. From the early 1920s Hotel Gellért was accessible not only by car but even airplane too as a floatplane station opened on the riverbank. A monumental plaque on the parapet next to the bridge commemorates this sensation of those times.
Besides the hotel the Eravisci House on the corner of Bartók Béla Street and Budafoki Street as well as the neo-renaissance Technical University CH Building on the right of it are other signature buildings of the square.
The university building constructed in 1904 has been host to the Chemical Engineering Faculty for a hundred years. From the early 20th century more places contributed to the vivid community life in the square. The Eravisci House had the Technical University Café on the ground floor while on the other side of Bartók Béla Street Gebauer Café (Szeged Restaurant today) rivaled with the nearby Hadik Café,as well as the first beer house of Buda opened in the building of Hotel Gellért.
One of the youngest features of the square is the Spring House, aka Gellért Well opposite of the spa entrance built in the early 2000s. An even more recent “resident” of the square is the Tamás Cseh statue unveiled in 2013 depicting the former resident of the district, the young deceased pop singer and composer.
The historic public square is a significant junction of Budapest also with one of the most impressive stations of underground line M4 decorated with 2,800,000 pieces of glass mosaics.
More photos of St Gellért Square:
Attractions
Technical University, CH Building The Neo-Renaissance building, aka CH Building, in St Gellért Square has been home to the Faculty of Chemical Engineering since 1904. The date on the facade indicates the year of founding Technical University.
Gellért Square underground station The water-themed design is followed by the underground station as well. The multi-awarded station was covered with 2.8 million glass mosaics that make it feel like large waves.
Eravisci House The palace was home to the Technical University Café, a restaurant and a beerhouse from 1905. At the time it was the gathering place for Technical University students and teachers. Today it hosts Palack Wine Bar.
Gellért Spa As one of the most popular spas based on hot springs of Buda, Gellért Hotel and Spa opened in 1918. Just opposite of the spa a well called Spring House is a special feature of Gellért Square remodeled in 2004.
Gellért Hill With a plenty of natural and historic sights, Gellért Hill is one of the most popular sights in Budapest where nearly every spot provides a scenic view over the city. In 1987, it was recognized as a World Heritage Site.
Floatplane station commemorative plaque The site of St Gellért Square BKK boat station used to be a floatplane station. It was established by Aeroexpress airline in 1923, however, due to unprofitability it was closed 3 years later. A commemorative plaque was placed on the riverbank.
Liberty Bridge Liberty Bridge, the green bridge of Budapest has linked St Gellért Square in Buda and Fővám Square in Pest since 1896. It could not survive WW2. Its center span was demolished, however, it was the first bridge to be restored.
Recommended tours
A tour in the heart of New Buda A walk around the cultural center of South Buda answers how a building was named after 500 silver coins or how a church still in use today was built on the first floor of another building, or how youngsters had fun at the Park Stage of Buda.
A scenic walk on Gellért Hill A World Heritage Site, a landmark of Budapest, cradle of hot springs, a witness of our history, the best date location and a place with the greatest view over Budapest. A scenic walk from top to bottom from St Gellért Square through the Arboretum of Buda to the Lake Feneketlen.
Universities and parks on the two sides of the Danube The bike trip from the university campus to Kopaszi levee lets you discover the riverbanks crossing the Danube twice. Riding along the river you will a beautiful spa, a university building that dominates the riverside, significant cultural spots and probably the most popular park of the city.
Discovering underground line M4 Underground line 4 has brought elegance and style to the world of underground transport in Budapest. Contemporary architecture makes everyday commutes an artistic experience for locals. Surface level attractions will also be discovered during the tour.