Community and Youth Centre / Közösségi ház és diákcentrum
Budapest, Horanszky str / utca
“Inner Józsefváros” is located in the geographical centre of Budapest, 1-1,5 kilometres East of the Danube. Its area is defined by the rings and radiuses determining the city structure. Neighbouring areas are Inner Ferencváros (from the South) and Belváros-Lipótváros (from the West). Thus the area has a direct connection with the historical centre of Budapest, and is an organic continuation of the latter. The uniform character of the area is dense and urban, and it is located on a flat plain.
Besides central Pest, this area are the capital’s most densely built and most densely populated structural unit. The target area is broken up by avenues which determine the structure of Pest. However, the structure is geometrically clear in most parts, characterised by streets running parallel and perpendicular to the Nagykörút.
The area without the city walls (marked today by the Kiskörút) first appeared on the map in the 18th century. The outskirt of Pest, that is the 8th district, in a crescent shape, gradually surrounded Pest, the process starting in the 18th century. The district was given its name in 1777. Inner Józsefváros started to expand along the trade routes starting from present-day Astoria and Kálvin tér. In the 18th century, among the inner city quarters, the city core of Józsefváros was the first to take shape. From a historical perspective, the great flood of 1838 had a beneficial effect on the development of Inner Józsefváros, as the high prestige “Castle District” of Józsefváros started to develop rapidly after this flood. One of the main characteristic features of the district and, in particular, of Inner Józsefváros, is the high proportion of institutes of higher education.
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This two-storey-high building built in eclectic style in 1878 was designed by József Pucher. At present it belongs to the local government of the 8th district. The whole interior of the building has been rebuilt and only the stucco facade and beautiful gate has remained the same.
Petőfi Sándor is known as the poet of the nation, the hero of the Revolution of 1848. His widow, Szendrey Júlia, who was again single and ill after leaving her second husband moved to 13 Horánszky Street in 1867, which was then called Zerge Street. People of Pest did not understand Júlia and so they never liked her either, since not even a year after Petőfi’s death she was already married to the historian, Árpád Horváth. She also behaved stangely because she wore short hair, she smoked cigars, cursed, and acted peculiarly. Above all, she could not or did not want to bring up her only child Zoltán born in the marriage with Petőfi. Not many knew that she wrote poems, and she translated Andersen’s stories into Hungarian which were first to be published. Her diaries and letters show evidence that she was a talented buti n many aspects an unlucky woman who was only happy during the two years she spent with Petőfi.
Thirty years later Gyula Krúdy arrived to the city and as a writer he could never part again from the capital’s streets, people, and atmosphere. He looked for a flat to rent in Józsefváros, and found probably the same apartment where Júlia Szendrey once lived. The romantic atmosphere of the house made a great impact on Krúdy and he dealt in depth with the tragic fortune of Júlia Szendrey and the “nation’s orphan” little Zoltán.
“I moved to Zerge Street from Gyöngytyúk Street /.../ merely in honour of Aladár Benedek and Júlia Szendrey who had already passed away. Despite all the disappointment I lived in the very same flat where Mrs Petőfi used to live and did not want to move back to the the Szendrey family in Képíró Street.”
[Visits of Gyula Krúdy Gyula. In: Krúdy Gyula: Confession. Bp., 1963. Pg.307. S. a. r.: Sándor Kozocsa., http://www.europabelvarosa.hu/seta_a_negyedben/irodalmi_seta_a_palotanegyedben]
Designers / Tervezők : Rév8 Zrt
Design Team / Tervező csapat: Alföldi György, Pozsár Péter, Dékány Tibor, Koczka Zsófia, Faragó Csaba, Nagy Zsuzsanna, Czumbil Réka, Gulyás Gábor Gergely, Leposa Katalin, Pál András,
Client / Építtető: Budapest VIII. Kerület Józsefvárosi Önkormányzat
Projekt manager: Faragó Csaba, Kázár Katalin, Tibor Tamás
Built surface / Beépített m2: 1520 m2
Building cost / Építési költség: 1,45 mEuro
Photos: Faragó Csaba
