The II. János Pál pápa tér (the former Köztársaság tér) located in the 8th district has been renewed. The area close to the future exit of the Metro Line 4 got a new pavement and road surface, a pedestrian bridge, a pool, a terrace and a dog-walking area was built, and tables and benches were placed on the square.The renewal of the II. János Pál pápa tér located in the 8th district has been finished. The pavements and road surfaces lining the former Köztársaság tér were reconstructed in 2009; and now the area close to the future exit of the Metro Line 4, located south from Erkel Theatre has been renewed. According to the telling of the BKK Centre for Budapest Transport some parts of the square near to the future exit of the Metro Line 4 will be able to be taken into use only after the inauguration of the new metro line in March 2014. The square got a new pavement surface, a pedestrian bridge, a pool with a terrace and a dog-walking area were built, trees were planted, and tables and benches were placed there.
History of II. János Pál pápa tér
In the 19th century the later Köztársaság tér was called Baromvásártér, Bauern Markt and Lóvásártér. In 1856 the first gas factory of Pest was built here, thanks to which the public lighting of the city centre was developed. Because of the factory the neighborhood became one of the centers of the labor movement: the first labor convention was held here in 1869. The square was renamed after the former Prime Minister, Kálmán Tisza in 1902, who died the same year. In 1911 the then People’s Opera, the current Erkel Theatre was built. In 1918 the victory of the Aster Revolution was celebrated here; in 1946 the square was renamed Köztársaság tér (Republic Square) in memory of this event. From 1940 the Volksbund, the Association of Hungarian Germans was operating here. In 1945 its seat was occupied by the Hungarian Communist Party. Because of the siege of the party building on the 30th October, the square played an important role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Until 2006 the building functioned as the seat of the Hungarian Socialist Party. In 2007 the building and the one next to it were bought by an Irish company for HUF 1.6 billion.
Sources:
hvg.hu
magyarnarancs.hu
nol.hu
Photo:
noplaza.hu
