Civil Servants' Colony and the Ganz Colony

The main attractions

The Ganz Colony

The Ganz Colony in Vajda Péter Street was built for the workers of the Ganz Works. It was designed by Dr. Pál Lipták and was finished in 1909. It was a city within the city. The two, huge U-shaped blocks of flats surround the central building with the water tower. The colony is a real blueprint of how living conditions of the working classes were imagined in the late Austro-Hungarian Empire. The 645 one-room flats were small but the facilities included a bathhouse, a restaurant, a bowling alley, a theatre, a laundrette, a nursery and even a library. Many films have been shot in the Colony.

Highlight: the water tower next to the central building.

The Church of the Great Lady of the Hungarians

The Church of the Great Lady of the Hungarians at Szenes Iván Square. The imposing church in the middle of the square is the witness of dedication of the people living in Tisztviselőtelep. After decades-long struggle, the construction of the church started in 1929 and it was consecrated in 1931. The locals collected and donated 1.3 million Pengos (the Hungarian currency of the time) for the building of the church. The Classicist, Empire-style church was designed by Jenő Kismarty-Lechner, the nephew of the famous architect, Ödön Lechner.

Highllight:

- the Great Lady of the Hungarians can be seen on the altar with the Holy Crown and the baby Jesus on her lap

The streets of Tisztviselőtelep

Surrounded by 2 of the busiest boulevards of Budapest, Tisztviselőtelep is a surprisingly quiet and peaceful part of the city. It is like a time capsule, the moment you enter the neighbourhood, you feel like you have just jumped 120 years back in time to the last years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. You might even expect horse-drawn carriages passing by and elegant men and women, wearing clothes of the late 19th, early 20th centuries, strolling down the streets. Just walk around the neighbourhood and marvel at the beautiful detached houses such as this one on the corner of Bláthy Ottó & Benyovszky Móric Streets.

The Fairy Palace (Tündérpalota)

The Fairy Palace (Tündérpalota) on the corner of Könyves Kálmán Boulevard and Győrffy István Street. One of the unsung beauties of Hungarian art nouveau is the former school building of Tisztviselőtelep. It was designed by Albert Kálmán Kőrőssy and built in 1910-1911. A state-of-the-art school building of its time, it served as a high school until 1975. Today it is home to the plant collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum and also houses the National Pedagogical Library and Museum. Don't miss this beautiful building!

Highlight: - the façade with art nouveau floral ornaments

Other highlights of Tisztviselőtelep and Ganz Colony:

- the building of Vajda Péter Elementary School, designed by Ödön Lechner

- the church tower of the former church in Vajda Péter Street. The church was demolished in 2011 and only the tower remains standing

(The photos and the texts are the work of the students and teachers of Petrik Lajos Bilingual Vocational School. Made in January 2020.)