Ybl Budai Creative House, Budapest
A UNESCO World Heritage site, this charming palace, built in the late 19th century, blends Renaissance and Baroque styles and was designed by Hungary鈥檚 most renowned architect, Mikl贸s Ybl. At first glance, you might not guess that it originally served as a pump house, designed to supply water to the nearby Royal Palace.
In 2009, during a canal construction project, workers uncovered a forgotten six-room cistern system beneath the building. This discovery revealed how Danube water was filtered for use in the palace long before Budapest鈥檚 canalization system was established. When the modern canal system was completed, the cisterns became obsolete, but the building remained. It was then repurposed as a pavilion for music and dance, offering public entertainment. In the early 20th century, the building transformed into a caf茅-restaurant, a role it held for about 40 years, complete with a garden, dance floor, and a live band on the terrace. For another 15 years, until 2007, it functioned as a casino, offering a high-society experience for gamblers.
In 2016, the Pallas Athena Foundation took ownership and once again gave the building a new identity. With careful restoration, both the exterior and interior were preserved, and the space was reimagined as an arts venue. Today, the Ybl Budai Creative House hosts art exhibitions, performances, workshops, concerts, and family events. You can still enjoy good food at the on-site restaurant or relax with a coffee on the terrace, enjoying sweeping views of the Danube.
In 2009, during a canal construction project, workers uncovered a forgotten six-room cistern system beneath the building. This discovery revealed how Danube water was filtered for use in the palace long before Budapest鈥檚 canalization system was established. When the modern canal system was completed, the cisterns became obsolete, but the building remained. It was then repurposed as a pavilion for music and dance, offering public entertainment. In the early 20th century, the building transformed into a caf茅-restaurant, a role it held for about 40 years, complete with a garden, dance floor, and a live band on the terrace. For another 15 years, until 2007, it functioned as a casino, offering a high-society experience for gamblers.
In 2016, the Pallas Athena Foundation took ownership and once again gave the building a new identity. With careful restoration, both the exterior and interior were preserved, and the space was reimagined as an arts venue. Today, the Ybl Budai Creative House hosts art exhibitions, performances, workshops, concerts, and family events. You can still enjoy good food at the on-site restaurant or relax with a coffee on the terrace, enjoying sweeping views of the Danube.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Budapest. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Ybl Budai Creative House on Map
Sight Name: Ybl Budai Creative House
Sight Location: Budapest, Hungary (See walking tours in Budapest)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Budapest, Hungary (See walking tours in Budapest)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Budapest, Hungary
Create Your Own Walk in Budapest
Creating your own self-guided walk in Budapest is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Jewish Quarter Walking Tour
Jews were officially allowed to settle in Pest in the early 18th century. By the late 1700s, a small but growing community had taken root, and the 19th century brought rapid urbanization and expansion. The Jewish population soared, with many Jews becoming integral to Budapest鈥檚 economic and cultural life.
Following the Nazi occupation in March 1944, they were forced into a ghetto centered in... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Following the Nazi occupation in March 1944, they were forced into a ghetto centered in... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Pest Introduction Walking Tour
Separated from its western neighbor Buda by the wide sweep of the Danube, the eastern side of Budapest takes up almost two-thirds of the city. While Buda rises in hills and castle-topped cliffs, Pest spreads out across a flat plain, buzzing with energy and a rather bourgeois spirit. Some of Hungary鈥檚 most iconic landmarks call this side home, including the grand Parliament building itself. No... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles
Buda Introduction Walking Tour
Hungary鈥檚 capital is relatively young, having emerged in the late 19th century after the merger of two neighboring towns鈥擝uda on the western bank of the Danube and Pest on the eastern side. Buda, with its hills and historic character, is home to the grand Hapsburg palace, still exuding the imperial charm of a time when wealth and power reigned.
From the heights of Castle Hill or Gell茅rt... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
From the heights of Castle Hill or Gell茅rt... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Margaret Island Walking Tour
Stretching for around 2.5 km, Margaret Island (鈥淢argit-sziget鈥�) on the river Danube is a popular green oasis / recreational area that serves as Budapest's playground since the 1870s. Flush with beautiful landscaped parks, ancient ruins and various sports facilities, the island can be accessed either by the historical Margaret Bridge on the south or the Arpad Bridge in the north, from... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Andrassy Avenue Walking Tour
Dating back to 1870 and recognized as a World Heritage site, Andr谩ssy Avenue is a long, wide boulevard named after Prime Minister Gyula Andr谩ssy (served 1867鈥�71) that connects Budapest's downtown with the City Park. The entire stretch is lined with caf茅s, restaurants, luxury shops, as well as cultural institutions, elegant neo-Renaissance apartment blocks, mansions, and embassies with... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Souvenir Shopping
It will definitely be a pity to leave Budapest without exploring local specialty shops and bringing home something authentically Hungarian. A large number of the city鈥檚 specialty shops are found on V谩ci Street, a pedestrian thoroughfare that parallels the Danube, extending for more than 15 blocks, with something for every taste and wallet. At its most southerly end, you will find Central Market... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
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