National Theatre (Budapest)
Encyclopedia
The National Theatre is the main theatre of Budapest
, and the largest such institution in Hungary
, opening originally in 1837. Its company used several locations since then, including the original building at the Kerepesi street, and the People's Theatre at the Blaha Lujza Square. Their current home, the new National Theatre opened in 14 September 2000.
. Baron István Széchenyi
, a major figure in the reform age of Hungary dreamed of a great building on the bank of the Danube
, operated in the form of a joint stock company. He proposed his plans in his 1832 pamphlet A Magyar Játékszínről.
However, the realization was difficult, as factions could not decide on the basic conception. Some proposed a simpler institution, open for the wide masses, and some wanted a closed, elite institution for the aristocracy.
The Hungarian Parliament made the decision in his 41st article of 1836, and led by Antal Grassalkovich, the construction began in 1835 on the Kerepesi street. With a company assembled in the previous 4 years by András Fáy and Gábor Döbrentei (playing in the Court Theatre of Buda
), the theatre opened on August 22, 1837 under the name Pesti Magyar Színház (Hungarian Theatre of Pest). Its goals were to give birth to the national drama, and to showcase classics of world literature. Nationalized in 1840, the name was changed to National Theatre.
While the building was reconstructed in 1875, in 1893 decision was made to build a new, modern theatre. The company moved to the People's Theatre at Blaha Lujza square in 1908, with the reconstruction and development beginning in 1913, but being halted by World War I
, never to be finished. The company remained the tenant of People's Theatre in the following decades while the building's state continually deteriorated. Authorities decided to demolish in 1963, citing metro line construction as the reason. Operation ceased one year later, and the building was blown up on April 23, 1965. The company was transferred to the renovated Petőfi Theatre (today known as Thália), in the Nagymező street, and two years later to the former Magyar Theatre in the Hevesi Sándor square. There were times when the National Theatre operated in several buildings at the same time, including the Belvárosi Theatre, the Court Theatre of Buda, and the Magyar Theatre
, the latter carrying the name of National Theatre until 1 September 2000.
, at the Felvonulási square. A tender was held in 1965, but no first prizes were given. The second prize was shared between plans of Miklós Hofer and Jan Boguslawski - Bogdan Gniewiewski. The next two decades dragged on with the planning at the Company for Public Building Planning led by Miklós Hofer. The building permit was finally given in 1985, but the construction went no further than chopping out a few trees. In 1988 a tender was held for a new location and the Engels (today Erzsébet) square was chosen.
A decade passed without any progress. In 1996 the parliament finally agreed to move on the next phase, but the project became severely entangled by political quarrels in the next few years. After tendering the plans (won by Ferenc Bán
), the construction began in 1998, but the new government elected in the same year stopped the work, finding it too costly. In 1999 ministry commissioner György Schwajda entrusted Mária Siklós to make plans for a building at a new location, the bank of the Danube, but following the rage of the architect scene, a tender was held, resulting in György Vadász's victory. As he was not willing to tailor Siklós's plans any further, the construction began with her plans on September 14, 2000. The new National Theatre opened on the National holiday, March 15, 2002.
The building lies on the bank of the Danube, in the Ferencváros
district, between the Soroksári road, the Grand Boulevard
and the Lágymányosi Bridge
, and is a five-minute walk from the Csepel HÉV. The area of the theatre, along with an open air stage is 20 844 square meters, and can be functionally separated into three parts. The central part is the nearly round building of the auditorium and stage, surrounded by corridors and public areas. The second is the U-shaped industrial section around the main stage. The third section is the park that surrounds the area, containing numerous memorials commemorating the Hungarian drama and film industry. The nearby Palace of Arts
was opened in 2005.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, and the largest such institution in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, opening originally in 1837. Its company used several locations since then, including the original building at the Kerepesi street, and the People's Theatre at the Blaha Lujza Square. Their current home, the new National Theatre opened in 14 September 2000.
History
The idea of a national theatre in the capital was formed around the turn of the 18th-19th century, promoted by several great thinkers, including Ferenc KazinczyFerenc Kazinczy
Ferenc Kazinczy was a Hungarian author, the most indefatigable agent in the regeneration of the Magyar language and literature at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century...
. Baron István Széchenyi
István Széchenyi
Széchenyi committed suicide by a shot to his head on April 8, 1860. All Hungary mourned his death. The Academy was in official mourning, along with the most prominent persons of the leading political and cultural associations...
, a major figure in the reform age of Hungary dreamed of a great building on the bank of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, operated in the form of a joint stock company. He proposed his plans in his 1832 pamphlet A Magyar Játékszínről.
However, the realization was difficult, as factions could not decide on the basic conception. Some proposed a simpler institution, open for the wide masses, and some wanted a closed, elite institution for the aristocracy.
The Hungarian Parliament made the decision in his 41st article of 1836, and led by Antal Grassalkovich, the construction began in 1835 on the Kerepesi street. With a company assembled in the previous 4 years by András Fáy and Gábor Döbrentei (playing in the Court Theatre of Buda
Court Theatre of Buda
The Court Theatre of Buda is Hungary's oldest functioning, and Budapest's first theatre. It was built in 1763 as a Carmelite church and monastery, and was converted to a theatre in 1787. The theatre was home to the first play in Hungarian language in 1790.-History:In the Middle Ages, the area was...
), the theatre opened on August 22, 1837 under the name Pesti Magyar Színház (Hungarian Theatre of Pest). Its goals were to give birth to the national drama, and to showcase classics of world literature. Nationalized in 1840, the name was changed to National Theatre.
While the building was reconstructed in 1875, in 1893 decision was made to build a new, modern theatre. The company moved to the People's Theatre at Blaha Lujza square in 1908, with the reconstruction and development beginning in 1913, but being halted by World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, never to be finished. The company remained the tenant of People's Theatre in the following decades while the building's state continually deteriorated. Authorities decided to demolish in 1963, citing metro line construction as the reason. Operation ceased one year later, and the building was blown up on April 23, 1965. The company was transferred to the renovated Petőfi Theatre (today known as Thália), in the Nagymező street, and two years later to the former Magyar Theatre in the Hevesi Sándor square. There were times when the National Theatre operated in several buildings at the same time, including the Belvárosi Theatre, the Court Theatre of Buda, and the Magyar Theatre
Magyar Theatre
The Magyar Theatre is a theatre operating in Budapest, Hungary. Opening in 1897, the theatre played a significant role in the city's theatrical life. After a major reconstruction in 1966, the building functioned as the temporary home for the Hungarian National Theatre for more than three decades...
, the latter carrying the name of National Theatre until 1 September 2000.
Construction of the new theater
After the demolition of the People's Theatre a proposal was made to build the new theater in the City ParkCity Park (Budapest)
Városliget is a public park in Budapest, Hungary close to the city centre. It is located in District XIV of Budapest. Its main entrance is Heroes' Square , one of Hungary's World Heritage sites.-Name:The area was formerly called Ökör-dűlő, meaning "Oxmeadow"...
, at the Felvonulási square. A tender was held in 1965, but no first prizes were given. The second prize was shared between plans of Miklós Hofer and Jan Boguslawski - Bogdan Gniewiewski. The next two decades dragged on with the planning at the Company for Public Building Planning led by Miklós Hofer. The building permit was finally given in 1985, but the construction went no further than chopping out a few trees. In 1988 a tender was held for a new location and the Engels (today Erzsébet) square was chosen.
A decade passed without any progress. In 1996 the parliament finally agreed to move on the next phase, but the project became severely entangled by political quarrels in the next few years. After tendering the plans (won by Ferenc Bán
Ferenc Ban
Ferenc Bán is a Hungarian architect, one of the foremost in the progressive design movement, emblematic figure of eastern Hungarian building. He was born in Tokaj, Hungary...
), the construction began in 1998, but the new government elected in the same year stopped the work, finding it too costly. In 1999 ministry commissioner György Schwajda entrusted Mária Siklós to make plans for a building at a new location, the bank of the Danube, but following the rage of the architect scene, a tender was held, resulting in György Vadász's victory. As he was not willing to tailor Siklós's plans any further, the construction began with her plans on September 14, 2000. The new National Theatre opened on the National holiday, March 15, 2002.
The new National Theatre
Ferencváros
Ferencváros is the 9th district of Budapest , Hungary.- Name :The southern suburb of Pest was named after King Francis I on 4 December 1792 when he was crowned king of Hungary.- History :The development of Ferencváros began in the late 18th century....
district, between the Soroksári road, the Grand Boulevard
Grand Boulevard (Budapest)
Nagykörút or Grand Boulevard is one of the most central and busiest parts of Budapest, a major thoroughfare built by 1896, Hungary's Millennium. It forms a semicircle connecting two bridges of the Danube, Margaret Bridge on the north and Petőfi Bridge on the south...
and the Lágymányosi Bridge
Lágymányosi Bridge
Rákóczi Bridge is a bridge in Budapest, Hungary, connecting the settlements of Buda and Pest across the Danube. The construction of the steel girder bridge was started in 1992 to the plans of Tibor Sigrai.It is named after the south Buda district of Lágymányos...
, and is a five-minute walk from the Csepel HÉV. The area of the theatre, along with an open air stage is 20 844 square meters, and can be functionally separated into three parts. The central part is the nearly round building of the auditorium and stage, surrounded by corridors and public areas. The second is the U-shaped industrial section around the main stage. The third section is the park that surrounds the area, containing numerous memorials commemorating the Hungarian drama and film industry. The nearby Palace of Arts
Palace of Arts (Budapest)
The Palace of Arts is a building in Ferencváros, Budapest, Hungary, officially opened in March 2005. It is located near Lágymányosi Bridge, accessible from the southern end of Grand Boulevard with a ten-minute walk or by HÉV, or by No.1, No.2, and No.24 streetcars...
was opened in 2005.
Links
- Official home page of the National Theatre
- Csatolna.hu gallery - A gallery of images of the new National Theatre
- Index.hu article - An article detailing the demolition of the People's Theatre in 1965
Sources
- http://mek.niif.hu/02100/02139/html/sz16/182.html - National Theatre in the Hungarian Theatrical Lexicon (György, Székely. Magyar Színházművészeti Lexikon. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1994. ISBN 9789630566353), freely available on mek.oszk.hu
- László, Kósa. A cultural history of Hungary. Budapest: Osiris Kiadó, 1998. ISBN 9789631348361
- Nemzetiszinhaz.hu article - A brief article at the history on the official home page
- Sulinet.hu article - An article on the history of the building on Sulinet.hu
- Aerila photographs of the Theatre