Kálvária Hill, the hillside of Rose Hill (Rózsadomb) above the Margaret Bridge, is one of the most beautiful and exclusive spots of the 2nd district, overlooking the Danube, which has managed to preserve its rich architectural heritage despite the difficulties of history - the World War, socialism and other threats to the built environment. The area has been a symbol of luxury for about a century and a half: large-scale prestigious construction began as early as the end of the 19th century, one of the first of which (later destroyed in the World War) was the imposing mansion-like villa built by the architect János Wágner for himself and his family.1 The Wagner mansion, built in 1893, was followed in 1898 by the twin mansions of the timber merchant and carpenter Neuschloss brothers, Ödön and Marcell, at 11-13 Apostol Street, which were designed by Ignác Alpár (1855-1928).2 The Neuschloss brothers were the builders of the original wooden version of the Vajdahunyad Castle designed by Ignác Alpár, hence their friendship with the architect, who was already famous at the time. It was while drawing up the plans for the semi-detached house to be built for the Neuschloss brothers3 that he fell in love with the newly parcelled-out Rose Hill district (Rózsadomb), which was still largely undeveloped. Perhaps this is also the reason why, in the year of the completion of the twin mansions in Apostol Street, he bought a plot of land here, in the then Niedermaier street (today Bolyai street), on which a residential building already stood: a baroque, single-storeyed villa with a mansard roof.4
The former occupants of the property were hotel manager József Illits and dynasty founder János Gundel, a restaurant owner. The property was bought from Gundel by the architect Ignác Alpár in February 1899 for 41 000 forints. He partially rebuilt and extended the villa between 1900 and 1903.5 The extension included the design of a new part of the building next to the imposing summer house, and the creation of a classy link between the old and new parts in the form of a two-storey hall. The plan was signed by Alpár and the contractors Messner and Arndt on 6 August 1903.6 The building and its gardens contain a number of works of fine art and the applied arts; the hall, built in the centre of the extended mansion, is the most beautifully decorated.7 The bronze chandelier and the now almost completely faded wall paintings remain practically unnoticed next to the huge, colourful leaded glass windows with a tulip bouquet and peacocks, that dominate the entire building. The windows were made in 1903 in the workshop of Ignác Alpár's contemporary and good friend Miksa Róth, a glass painter and mosaicist. Some of the windows decorate the facade facing Bolyai Street; these are dominated by the colours red, orange and green, and are framed by a sunflower composition.8
Ignác Alpár and Miksa Róth worked together on a number of projects, and the two share many similar traits: they had vast knowledge in their respective fields, their tireless work ethic and excellent diplomatic skills helped them to thrive in public and business life, and, as respected public figures of their time, they also took courageous positions on various public issues.9
Ignác Alpár's talent flourished at the height of late historicism and Hungary's millennium: banks, town halls and representative school buildings were all built by his plans.
THE FAMOUS ARCHITECT: IGNÁC ALPÁR
Ignác Alpár was born Ignác Schökl, on 17 January 1855, as the second-born son of a craftsmen family of 8 children. His father, Mátyás Schökl, a master carpenter from Graz, employed 100-120 assistants in his workshop, and they carried out all the carpenter work on the Vigadó, using machines imported from Germany. Ignác Alpár's mother was Mária Eisele, who was related to József Eisele, who founded a steam boiler company in Pest in 1861.10
Ignác, after completing a four year elementary school, continued his studies at the downtown elementary school until 1871. He completed the six grades of the elementary school in 1871, but he was already working as a mason's apprentice a year before finishing his studies. A little over two years later, he started working as an apprentice in the office of Alajos Hauszmann, where he spent 12 years with some interruptions. He worked for Hauszmann until 16 September 1874, when, following the advice of his master, he went to Berlin and began his architectural studies at the Bauakademie.11
In 1881, he returned to Budapest and married Antonia Orth, who was not only his companion but also his main inspiration and guiding star. The first home of the young married couple in Pest was the house at number 9 Gyöngytyúk street (today Gyulai Pál street)12, where they lived between 1883-1885. They then moved to number 7 Teréz Boulevard (Teréz körút 7.), which building was built around 1885 by the request of Count Géza Batthyányi based on the plans of Alajos Hauszmann. Here Alpár opened his first architecture office. In 1891 the couple and the office moved to a building designed by Alpár at number 7 Almássy Square (Almássy Tér 7.). It is interesting to note that when the Bolyai Street mansion was built, they did not make it their permanent residence, but only used it occasionally. It was only in 1918 that thee architect sold the house on Almássy Square, after the death of his wife, and moved permanently to the mansion on Rose Hill (Rózsadomb). Here he lived with his second wife, Ilona Csesznák (1878-1963), whom he married in May 1922 in Balatonföldvár.13 The architect, who was already highly respected and internationally renowned, visited many places in the world. In 1928, he attended the unveiling ceremony of the Kossuth statue in New York, made by János Horvay, and then visited several parts of America before returning to Europe. He visited Paris and Zurich, among other places, but during his trip to Zurich he contracted pneumonia and was forced to undergo a long period of sanatorium treatment, which still could not prevent his condition from deteriorating, and he died on 27 April 1928.
The mansion was nationalised in 1945, and the building was used by the János Bolyai People's College of Natural Sciences (Bolyai János Természettudományi Népi Kollégium). Alpár's widow, Ilona Csesznák, moved out of the mansion and bought a new property in Balatonföldvár. From 1969, the mansion became the property of the Budapest Municipality (Budapest Főváros), and was used by the child protection service until nearly 2020, when the overall deterioration of the building, its constant sinking and waterlogging forced the closure of the institution.14 However, the young people growing up here have repeatedly broken into the building, which shows signs of vandalism in more and more places. In 2024, a warning appeared on the website of the Buda Children's Hospital (Budai Gyermekkórház) that parking in front of 11 Bolyai Street is no longer allowed, and the new owner, who bought the villa and the land, plans to renovate the building.15 If this is done, it will be saved from destruction.
Literature and Sources:
1 H. Boros Vilma: A Rózsadomb hőskora. In: Budapest (1973) 11. évf. 12. szám december, 621.
2 Vén Zsuzsa: Bp. II. Apostol utca 13. Tudományos dokumentáció. Kézirat, 1983. BFL XXXII. 306. A Budapesti Műemlékfelügyelőség iratai. No.1253. A szerzőtől az épületről röviden: Vén Zsuzsa: Még mindig szükséglakás. Budapest, (1984) 9. szám, 19-21.
3 Bierbauer István: Néhai Neuschloss Ödön lakóháza, II., Apostol utca 13. sz. A budapesti Rózsadomb. VI. Építő Ipar (1906) szeptember 23. 38. szám, 339.
4 A tervet 1893.novemberében hagyta jóvá a Fővárosi Tanács. BLF XV.17.d. 329.,13011.hrsz3-4. f. 17556/1899-III
5 BLF XV.17.d.329.,13011.hrsz.7-9.f 22286/1899-III
6 1903.augusztus 12-én engedélyezték a tervet. BLF XV.17.d. 329. 12.f. 167836/1903-III. A kivitelezők Mészner Sebestyén (gyakran szerepel Messner formában), valamint Arndt Dezső voltak, akik munkáikra gyakran Messner és Arndt néven hivatkoztak.
7 Rozsnyai József: Alpár Ignác. Holnap Kiadó, Budapest, 2020. 77.
8 Szuhai Barbara: Üvegcsoda parlagon-avagy villatörténet a Rózsadombon. 2020. január 20. https://www.meselohazak.hu/uvegcsoda-parlagon-avagy-villatortenet-a-rozsadombon/ Letöltés ideje: 2025.04.21.
9 Szuhai Barbara: Két nagy mester barátságáról tanúskodik a pávákat és tulipánokat rejtő rózsadombi villa. 2023.február. https://egy.hu/barangolo/ket-nagy-mester-baratsagarol-tanuskodik-a-pavakat-es-tulipanokat-rejto-rozsadombi-villa-114153#
Downloaded at: 2025.04.21.
10 Rozsnyai József: Alpár Ignác. Holnap Kiadó, Budapest, 2020. 13.
11 Rozsnyai József: Alpár Ignác. Holnap Kiadó, Budapest, 2020.15.
12 Budapesti Czim-és Lakásjegyzék 1883-1884, 330.. ; 1885-1886, 366..
13 A házasságkötés a II.kerületi anyakönyvvezető előtt történt, az egyik tanú Hübner Jenő építész volt. Házassági anyakönyvi kivonat, magántulajdon.
14 Szuhai Barbara: Üvegcsoda parlagon-avagy villatörténet a Rózsadombon. 2020.január 20. https://www.meselohazak.hu/uvegcsoda-parlagon-avagy-villatortenet-a-rozsadombon/
Downloaded at: 2025.04.29.
15 Az Észak-Budai Szent János Centrumkórház-Budai Gyermekkórház honlapján megjelent, 2024 októberében kelt hivatalos közlemény a parkolási renddel kapcsolatos változások tárgyában. https://www.janoskorhaz.hu/gyermekellatas/
Downloaded at: 2025.04.29.
