ANDRÁSSY AVENUE (ANDRÁSSY ÚT)

An elegant showcase for Pest since its creation in 1886, Andrássy Avenue is more than 2 km long and evokes the German neoclassicism that dominates along the Viennese Ring Road. Built at the time of the great real estate and urban development boom in Budapest (at the end of the 19th century), at the suggestion of Count Gyula Andrássy (hence the name of the boulevard), this wide central artery was intended to relieve the congestion on Király Street and to connect the City Woods. It joins the main boulevard at Oktogon. Take the time to look at the incredibly rich facades, especially the atlatls at number 9. Most of these buildings were financed by banks with the obligation to invest in their ornamentation in return. The first part of the avenue, from Deák Square to Oktogon Square, shows the triumph of the old "tenement house". The second floor was occupied by the owner (often an aristocrat), the upper floors were rented out, and the first floor was reserved for stores and boutiques. Even today, many luxury brands are still located here. Beyond Oktogon Square, the face of the avenue changes: the villas and mansions are of a rather eclectic style, from neo-Gothic to neo-Renaissance. This part, much more airy and less frenetic, hosts public institutions, cultural centers, museums and especially diplomatic representations.