Budapest’s Citadel has opened – Renovation of the Citadel is complete

They painstakingly cleaned the huge wall surface

By optimising scaffolding costs and working in stages, starting on the north side of the Rondella, a total of 13,800 square metres of wall surface was treated to remove traces of moisture and salt damage using sandblasting technology. The Tardos red limestone coping stones were also refurbished and repaired where necessary. The preservation of the fortress walls was ensured by eliminating moisture rising from the ground and by applying a temporary salt-binding plaster.

New entrances to the fortress

One of the most important conceptual elements of the renovation was to make the previously enclosed fortress accessible from three directions. To this end, the contractors created new entrances at the northern and southern ends of the rondella, as well as next to the eastern bastion. During the works, with the involvement of a specialist restorer, the parapet walls were dismantled using both mechanical and manual methods across an area of approximately 2,140 square metres, we learnt from Zoltán Kromer. At the new entry points, the fortress walls were clad with white, prefabricated fine-textured concrete panels, which lend a contemporary architectural character to the historic stone walls.

Concrete elements weighing several tonnes on sloping surfaces

One of the new entrances has been created at the bastion behind the Statue of Liberty, from where a flight of steps, flanked by white monolithic concrete structures, leads towards the inner courtyard.
The concrete slabs, each weighing between 1.1 and 2.2 tonnes and measuring nearly five metres in height, were hoisted into place using mobile cranes and then secured to specially designed stainless steel fixing points. The construction also required special logistical planning; the elements were delivered to the site in the order of installation and were installed immediately.

Among other things, 7,000 bolts were replaced on the completely restored Statue of Liberty

One of the most spectacular stages of the work involved erecting 12,000 cubic metres of scaffolding around the statue. The restorers assessed the condition of the artwork. Following a damage assessment, they cleaned its entire 200-square-metre surface.

The repair of the damage was followed by surface conservation and patination work. The metal screw joints inside the sculpture were inspected, and 7,000 of them were replaced.

From the light into the darkness of the Rondella

Extensive work has also been carried out in the western rondel of the Citadel: during the internal structural works, reinforced concrete staircases and lift shafts were constructed, and numerous openings were replaced. The „Bastion of Freedom” exhibition, covering some 2,000 square metres in the corridors and casemates of the gun tower, showcases the Hungarian people’s struggles for freedom.

Visitors can access the exhibition space inside the tower via a reception hall featuring a unique glass structure, which leads them into the interior of the fortress. The contrast between the robust stone walls and the light, airy glass structure creates a striking architectural effect.

Glued laminated timber beams

During the construction of the reception building, eight laminated glass beams, each with a span of fourteen metres, were installed; these were hoisted into place over a period of around sixty days. To cover the atrium, a further fourteen glass structures, each with a surface area of nearly twenty-seven square metres, were installed. The transport and hoisting of these large elements represented one of the most complex construction tasks of the project.
Like the Rondella, the wings have undergone extensive renovation. The café, ice cream parlour and gift shop are also located here.

The stones tell their story

An artificial pond has been created in the courtyard of the Rondella, with an eternal flame placed at its centre as a symbol of shared remembrance.

In line with this approach, the traces of bomb hits, bullet holes and engravings were preserved during the renovation. The traces of more than 170 years of history are on display in the viewing area.

Zoltán Kromer told us that traces of damage caused by a Soviet bomb were visible on the eastern façade of the Rondella. These were carefully removed, stone by stone, then relocated and rebuilt on the wall surface of the Rondella terrace, where they became part of the exhibition.

In the inner courtyard of the Citadel, a 36-metre flagpole flies Hungary’s largest national flag, measuring 72 square metres. The flagpole structure, designed to withstand even the strongest winds, was built into a reinforced concrete base set on a bed of dolomite rock.
A new irrigation system and drainage system were installed in the inner courtyard, and following the landscaping work, approximately 1,800 square metres of paving was laid.

A new park, exhibition and viewing terraces

By the end of the renovation, the Citadel had not only been restored as a historic monument but had also been given a number of new functions. A public park covering some 6,000 square metres has been created within the embrace of the fortress walls. The total green space has been expanded to around 20,000 square metres. In Gellért Hill Park, a bronze strip marks the line where Eastern and Western Hungary meet.
During the landscaping work, more than 630,000 plants were planted, including ornamental trees, lavender, roses and grapevines. As a result of the landscaping, the Citadel’s previously enclosed inner courtyard has been transformed into a new, vibrant community space.

Visitors can admire the surrounding area from new viewing terraces. The Roof Garden, accessible with an admission ticket, offers a 360-degree panoramic view from the top of the western Rondella. Additional viewing points are also available free of charge. The site showcasing the beauty of the northern view commemorates the fact that, in 1899, following the withdrawal of the imperial forces, the enthusiastic residents of Pest and Buda began tearing down the walls of the hated fortress here.
The eastern and southern bastions also offer the opportunity to admire Budapest and the surrounding landscape.

Major structural work in the citadel

During the construction work, the specialists carried out a total of around 15,000 cubic metres of rock excavation. 750 cubic metres of white concrete and nearly 7,000 cubic metres of grey concrete were used to construct the structures, whilst more than 445 tonnes of reinforcing steel were incorporated into the reinforced concrete structures. During the restoration work, around 800 cubic metres of natural stone were incorporated.
One of the greatest challenges, apart from the logistical tasks, was the installation of the utilities. The main conduits had to be carved into the rock. During construction, they encountered rock at a depth of 40 centimetres on the mountain. During the installation of the electrical network, the cables had to be routed through reinforced concrete slabs and brick vaults by drilling through them. This involved drilling through sections of the vaults measuring 2–2.5 metres in length. A new water reservoir was also installed at the base of the northern bastion during the project.

Following the completion of the works, which began in 2021, the Citadella has been transformed from a former military fortress into an open public space through the ZÁÉV and Market projects, whilst preserving the heritage value of the historic building complex.