You might have come across already one of budapestUNDERGUIDE's Art Nouveau programs (http://szecesszio.eu/en), taken part on a free walk on Saturdays or you might have found one of the treasures on the Urban Geocache game. To get you in the turn of century mood, we will publish from now on regularly something about Art Nouveau, Liberty, Modernismo, Secession, or whatever you might call it in your language.
The property was bought in 1884 from the agency managing the construction of Andrássy boulevard, with the purpose of erecting a casino. Construction ensued to realize Gusztáv Petschacher's design, in grand neo-reneissance style. The Teréz Town Casino had a vaulted hall on the ground floor, accommodating József Petanovics's famous beer hall and restaurant. The first floor fitted a billiards room, flanked by podiums held up by columns for the onlookers. The Paulay Ede street wing housed the glamorous ball room still visible today. The second floor had further reading and game rooms, while two luxury suites occupied the third floor.
Sámuel Goldberger purchased the real estate in 1909 and promptly started rebuilding: he wished to resurrect the Great Parisian Department Store demolished by fire on its previous location. The first of its kind in the capital, the jewel of the most attractive avenue in the city, the modern structure stunned shoppers from 1911 on. Luckily much of the building's elements were preserved and incorporated by the architect, Zsigmond Sziklay. As a result, visitors may still marvel at the dazzling Lotz Hall. Allegorical paintings represent the capital's flourishing, the work of Károly Lotz and Árpád Feszty. An elegant coffee house providing live music presently functions in the enchanting space, and it is rather cheap, 1-2 euros for a cappuccino, so drop by with a book or a friend!
Akin to the fate of many of Budapest's notable buildings, the Paris Department Store didn't emerge unscathed from World War 2 bombardments; and also suffered from ensuing nationalization. To delete the memory of bourgeois grandeur the building was used for storing books for two decades.
Following a slapdash refurbishment, in 1964 the department store opened its gates to customers again. Until 1999, it operated as a branch of the Centrum chain, when, bowing to commercial pressure, it had to close. Doors remained shut, and the building decayed for years.
Orco Property Group eventually bought the property from the state, and renovated the building. The Art Nouveau edifice was thoroughly rejuvenated, an air of beauty and elegance again surrounds it.
The design elements (columns decorated with Zsolnay ceramics, Art Nouveau decoration, stone casing), as well as the neo-reneissance ball room qualify the Parisian Department Store for heritage listing.
Where is this beauty? Here!
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