Instead of the planned HUF 1.5 billion, 4.8 billion will be spent on the renewal of Széll Kálmán tér (the former Moszkva tér). The investment that was decided to be done two years ago, will be realized as a part of the Capital of the Nation program, and it will be covered by capital, national and EU resources. The roads and traffic junctions will be reconstructed, and a bike route and parking lots will be built there.Instead of the planned HUF 1.5 billion, 4.8 billion will be spent on the renewal of the former Moszkva tér, the current Széll Kálmán tér. The decision about the renewal was made two years ago. The reconstruction of the square is a part of the Capital of the Nation program, which’s costs will be covered by capital, national and EU resources. The needed amount will be granted by the government in parts. Within the confines of the reconstruction the traffic junctions and the roads will be renewed, the pavements widened, a bike route, parking lots and green areas built, the cog-railway and the public utilities developed, and the construction of the intermodal junction of Káposztásmegyer prepared. A new rail track crossing the square will also be built for providing the connection of the tram lines of Buda, covered by separate resources.
History of Széll Kálmán tér
The square located at the border of the 1st, the 2nd and the 12th district is one of the busiest traffic junctions of Budapest. It was named after the former Hungarian Prime Minister, Kálmán Széll in 1929. From the Middle Ages a clay mine, a mine lake, an ice skating rink and a sport centre were in the area; the traffic junction was built between 1938 and 1941. In 1945 some parts of the square were destroyed. In 1951 it was renamed Moszkva tér (Moscow Square) because of political reasons. In 1971, when the metro station of the Line 2 was opened, the square was reconstructed and the traffic reorganized. In 1979 a well was built in the centre of the square, and some of the areas between the tram tracks were made green. The former directory building of the Hungarian Post built between 1923 and 1925 is one of the most spectacular sights of the square, which was sold by the post in 2008. The square got its previous name back in 2011. It is a popular meeting spot for students and hikers.
Sources:
resourceinfo.hu
hu.wikipedia.org
Photo:
flickr.com
