Várkert Bazár
Budapest
The Várkert Bazár is a group of loggias, stairways and gardens below the Royal Palace, on the Buda bank. Miklós Ybl designed it between 1875 and 1883.
A bazaar at the foot of the castle
In the 1800s Pest was growing fast, with grand buildings along the river. Buda, on the other hand, still had low old houses, almost like a country village.
So the idea arose of a showpiece complex with a garden at the foot of Castle Hill. The project went to Miklós Ybl, who was already famous. The bazaar opened in 1883.
What to look at from outside
The complex is in the Neo-Renaissance style, with long rows of arches along the river. It is considered a masterpiece, for its beauty and its balanced proportions.
Up above there is a Renaissance-style garden. From up there, the view over the Danube is among the finest in the city.
From youth park to restoration
From 1961 to 1984 there was a youth park here, with pop and rock concerts. Then everything stayed closed and fell into ruin.
The restoration was completed in 2014. Today there are exhibition halls, a garden and many family events, with music, dance and open-air cinema.
