I'm currently working on a project to design a building in the Buda Castle District.
The specific area i'm looking for info on is the Castle Wall running along the SW side of the district- Toth Arpad Setany.
If anyone has information on the Castle defensive wall, bastions and promenade here itself, that would be very useful.
I've tried to get a sectional drawing which shows how the wall was constructed, but so far found nothing, so if there is any other information out there on typical castle wall construction such as this, that would also be of great help!
Many thanks.

Actual measurement of the site would be highly advised, especially before designing a building in that area. I doubt those walls have any blueprints online. Local architectural authorities might help in your case, by the way.

Actual measurement of the site would be highly advised, especially before designing a building in that area. I doubt those walls have any blueprints online. Local architectural authorities might help in your case, by the way.

Hi- thanks for reply.
I'm actually an architecture student in the uk- we visited Budapest a few months back and I visited the city archives at the time to try and plans/sections of the area, but it took several days for them to process the request, so I didn't get to see them unfortunately.
I've been unable to find any online sources with significant detail.

This map shows the area i'm looking into:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=budapest&aq=&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=14.53663,42.1875&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Budapest,+Hungary&ll=47.502423,19.029169&spn=0.000716,0.001798&t=h&z=20

I seems like the castle wall has been either built into the side of the natural terrain, or has been back filled. But it would be most helpful to know what the typical structure inside a round bastion like this is... does anyone know of other examples that have more info on them??

If there are any members here who are Budapest residents or know the city well, it would be great to ask a few questions on the area too...

Cheers!

Most of us are locals. The hill has been filled up AFAIK, so its most probably earth and garbage there. You could use the details of the underground garage construction nearby.

http://www.epulettar.hu/projekt/20362.aspx

The short history of the Bastion boardwalks:

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/130/bvarq.jpg

13th century: The city is founded and the city walls follow the mountain plateau.
15th century: The urban houses expand to the walls and will have parts of the fortification (the Gothic city).
16th century: The Gothic fortifications become obsolete because of the cannon. A new stronger city wall is being built in front of the old walls (Renaissance and Turkic city)
now: The fortifications serve as a boardwalks.

The short history of the Bastion boardwalks:

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/130/bvarq.jpg

13th century: The city is founded and the city walls follow the mountain plateau.
15th century: The urban houses expand to the walls and will have parts of the fortification (the Gothic city).
16th century: The Gothic fortifications become obsolete because of the cannon. A new stronger city wall is being built in front of the old walls (Renaissance and Turkic city)
now: The fortifications serve as a boardwalks.

Thank you very much- that diagram really explains a lot!
It would be interesting to see if anything remain of the original 15th century fortifications- i'm guessing the foundations must still be there:

http://www.octogon.hu/katasztrofalis+allapotban+a+budai+var+falai+++1.html

Would you say that the structure supporting the boardwalk (Toth Arpad Setany) and inside the round cylindrical bastions, is simply full of rubble that could potentially be excavated, or is a more solid stone structure? I would have expected there to be more support or buttresses on the outside of the wall to retain the weight behind it.

Also, what was originally in the place of the Fisherman's Bastion on the East side of the district?- would that area have simply been the same wall as on the west side?

Most of us are locals. The hill has been filled up AFAIK, so its most probably earth and garbage there. You could use the details of the underground garage construction nearby.

http://www.epulettar.hu/projekt/20362.aspx

Yes looking into the underground garage project- do you know who the architect or construction company were for that project?

From these photos, it looks like there is definitely some sort of spaces within the castle walls:
This is just below the Museum of Military history- anyone know what this could be?
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5378138685_90b5a3bf69.jpg

Also, this looks like a blocked-up opening in one of the round bastions- suggesting that perhaps they were occupied from within at some point?
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5378742188_e9595f189d.jpg

1, You need to use the direct link.

2, For flickr, you have to provide the direct source, flickr in itself isnt enough. Example:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=71007575&postcount=422

Yes looking into the underground garage project- do you know who the architect or construction company were for that project?

Its on the site - Wipark Budavár Garázsüzemeltetési Kft.

Hi

Have you seen these? I think, it might be interesting
http://www.labirintus.com/en/58
http://www.sziklakorhaz.hu/szikla_en.html

And can i ask you What you design exactly?

Thank you very much- that diagram really explains a lot!
It would be interesting to see if anything remain of the original 15th century fortifications- i'm guessing the foundations must still be there:

http://www.octogon.hu/katasztrofalis+allapotban+a+budai+var+falai+++1.html

Buda city walls (without castle walls) 13-15th century:
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/2501/budaivar.jpg

13th century exist/under ground
14-15th century exist/under ground

1.
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/7769/1buda.jpg

2.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/6708/2buda.jpg

3.
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4766/3buda.jpg

4.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3686/4buda.jpg

5.
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1788/5buda.jpg

6.
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6946/6buda.jpg

7.
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/9125/7buda.jpg
pictures: Várak.hu (http://jupiter.elte.hu/)

Only the stone walls are origin, the brick walls are reconstructions!

Would you say that the structure supporting the boardwalk (Toth Arpad Setany) and inside the round cylindrical bastions, is simply full of rubble that could potentially be excavated, or is a more solid stone structure?

All dirt bastion.

I would have expected there to be more support or buttresses on the outside of the wall to retain the weight behind it.

More supports are not needed, the walls are rather thick.

Also, what was originally in the place of the Fisherman's Bastion on the East side of the district?- would that area have simply been the same wall as on the west side?

Not, there was a bastion before the present building.

That map is really interesting- thanks! I had spotted a few of those remains on my visit, but it all makes a lot more sense now.

In image 5- is it ruins that are viewed within that space- through the openings in the wall?

When you say that all of the 'brick' walls are reconstructions and the 'stone' walls are original, in this photo, would all of this have been completely rebuilt in brick with the stone placed within it? This rebuilding took place as recently as the 1960s, am I right in saying?

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5378740606_4464f76a80_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44738487@N05/5378740606/

One last time ,please include the source, else by the request of flickr, I must delete your pics.

Hi

Have you seen these? I think, it might be interesting
http://www.labirintus.com/en/58
http://www.sziklakorhaz.hu/szikla_en.html

And can i ask you What you design exactly?

Hi
Thanks for that.
I visited the Hospital in the rock, which was quite weird with all of the wax works, but it has a very interesting story.

I've been trying to find some good quality and detailed plans of the caves in the castle district too- so if anyone has seen any online, please post them here!

It is a university architecture project I am working on, and I am proposing a design for a new experimental theatre/ performing arts school for the castle district. My idea is that it will be partially built into the existing bastion wall, so it would be a hidden space, then the Toth Arpad Setany would have some outdoor performance spaces along the walkway.

That map is really interesting- thanks! I had spotted a few of those remains on my visit, but it all makes a lot more sense now.

In image 5- is it ruins that are viewed within that space- through the openings in the wall?

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7366/towera.jpg

When you say that all of the 'brick' walls are reconstructions and the 'stone' walls are original, in this photo, would all of this have been completely rebuilt in brick with the stone placed within it? This rebuilding took place as recently as the 1960s, am I right in saying?

These stones are presumably the pieces of the old wall. And the time of the reconstructions using the brick:

- early 18th century
- after 1849
- late 19th century, early 20th century
- after 1945

I may have overlooked this on my visit, but is there an empty vacant site here on the corner between Hoegylet Utca and Toth Arpad Setany? Or is it vacant for a reason?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Budapest,+N%C5%91egylet+Street,+Hungary&aq=0&sll=47.501192,19.031078&sspn=0.00055,0.001798&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1014+Budapest,+N%C5%91egylet+utca,+Hungary&ll=47.501154,19.031176&spn=0.000546,0.001798&t=h&z=20

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5208/5380377151_f572c005b2_z.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44738487@N05/5380377151/lightbox/

^^ wwII

Hi
i'm currently looking at collecting info on a number of theatres/performance space in the castle district- thought some of the names of places are confusing me slightly.
Could someone explain the differences between:
-the Theatre of the Danube Palace
-the Castle Theatre (Varszinhaz), National Dance Theatre
-Dominica Court in Hilton Hotel (Summer opera festival)

It would be great to see some interior photos of these spaces also...

The theatre of "Duna Palota" is at Pest, if we are talking about the same thing.

EDIT:AFAIK, the opera festival is held in the Opera.

Dominican Court (http://v8.cache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/26717142.jpg?redirect_counter=4) in Hotel Hilton Buda, Panoramio

Summer festival home page (http://www.viparts.hu/dominikanus_en.html) Dominican Court

Dominican Court (http://v8.cache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/26717142.jpg?redirect_counter=4) in Hotel Hilton Buda, Panoramio

Summer festival home page (http://www.viparts.hu/dominikanus_en.html) Dominican Court

Thanks for that- I did not see that Dominican Court when i was there- I guess it is easy to miss.

Has anybody seen a good quality map which shows the underground caves in the Castle District?
I have seen the simple drawings on the Labyrinth Cave website and also the 'Hospital in the Rock' website, but it would be very useful to see a plan of these underground spaces with a bit more detail.
If anyone knows where I might find this info, then please let me know.
Thanks.

A Budai Var-epitest at kell epiteni mint ahogy volt 1944-ban.