Fővám Square Fair Hall

One day before the inauguration, the roof structure of the Market Hall burnt down. Today, the whole world marvels at its miracle, but it was not a simple story: the entire roof of the Fairs Hall in Budapest burnt down one day before the opening.

With the merger of Pest and Buda in 1873, the Hungarian capital was on an unstoppable path to becoming a world city. It was 126 years ago, in February 1897, that the building first came to life for vendors and shoppers.

The construction of a tunnel and railway track by architect Samu Pecz was part of the project, and after the fire he installed more fire hydrants, roof buffers and a climbing ladder than ever before.

The opening ceremony of the hall was finally held on 15 February 1897, when not only Fővám Square but also – thanks to the fever of hall construction in Europe at the turn of the century and especially in the Monarchy – four other modern market buildings opened simultaneously: the halls on Hold Street, Rákóczi Square, Klauzál Square and Hunyadi Square.

Our company carried out the complete renovation of the roof structure and the roofing works.

photos: Bálint Jaksa