Journalists in the 8th

It was our honor to guide 16 journalists from all over the world to the 8th district. The guests were invited to Hungary by The Palace of Arts. Instead of visiting glittering avenues we discovered some hidden places. The group was invited by the Molnár Anni Gallery to familiarize with contemporary Hungarian art. We could not miss the cafe and cakes at Horváth Mihály square pastry shop. Finishing the program we visited a gipsy musician family to have a real face-to-face experience. Presented by Budapest Beyond Sightseeing in the 8th district.

Architectural tours

Budapest Beyond Sightseeing as the sponsor of the 100 rooms - 100 models I. International Festival of Architectural Models proudly presents two tours to the 8th district. The walking tours will be held for the praticipants of the model festival. The program is organised by the KÉK - Hungarian Contemporary Architecture Center between the 7th-9th November.

For further information and registration please visit: www.kek.org.hu

Downtown ART

Let's see what Budapest Beyond Sightseeing recommends You next. There is a renewing cultural area in town. Of course it is in the 8th district. The 'Palace district' of the 8th hides some great art spaces between the National Museum and the Combino trams. In the street of a former hungarian minister Horánszky opened a new flat-gallery: K. Pertrys. Refreshing and obscene what You are looking for now. It is Attila Stark's exhibition: Kaka, kulo, pedo, pis. Attila is colouring Budapest with his street art works, making applied art paintings and finally made a 'normal' exhibition with outstanding pictures. Now we hope You are ready to run till the gallery. Before that call Anikó Robitz +36 20 470 99 93 or write to her galeria@petrys.hu.

Adress: K. Petrys Ház 1085 Budapest, Horánszky street 13. II. 19.

http://www.kulocity.com/

www.petrys.hu/

Green Peace

It is autumn time and it is time to slow down. What would be the best place to get relaxed? A nice park, that is for sure! If you do not have the time to get out of the noisy city visit the ELTE Botanical Garden our 'Füvészkert'. Unique Budapest experience in september with banana trees. The park is opened from 9am to 17pm every day. The entrancy fee is friendly: 500HUF (2Euro) adults, 250HUF students. If you have already visited our 'flat land' it will be easy to find. If not, here is your helping map.

The hungarians know the 'Füvészkert' very well from the famous Molnár Ferenc novel 'Pál utcai fiúk'. The atmosphere of the garden still reminds to the young boys and their heart-piercing story. However the garden changed a lot, the famous lake disappeared. What is still original is the 'Festetics hunting-seat' built in 1802. The squirrels and Ginko trees are waiting for You.
Do not be lazy, get your shoes on. If You have already visited the place: comment it!

Flat land

You will find an amazing view if visiting a hidden post-communist block. The "Szigony Lakótelep" is surrounded by the modern city area, the eclectic style facades and the clinic area. The neighbourhood is famous among the Hungarians. What Hungarians surely know about the ' Szigony lakótelep' is, that the poverty rate and the drog users number is higher than any other average block of flats. A huge Chinese colony and musician gipsies also live behind the concrete walls. In the 18th and 19th century this was a marchland with a cemetery and a hunting forest. As the city grew at the turning of the 20th century it became an important commercial and industrial area. At the second world war many of the houses nearby were damaged. The communist regime forced to build block houses instead of renovation. That's how the 'Szigony Lakótelep' was born in the '70s. If you visit the plase we recommend you a very unique, very local pub. It is called the 'Tisza presszó' , named after the second biggest river of Hungary.

Are you curious? It is easy to get there: just jump on the bus 9. or 109 at Astoria or Deák tér and get off at the Koszorú utca station. Do not forget to validete your BKV ticket.

See what's Beyond Budapest!

Finissage at Lumen Gallery

Seeking for Art? Let us recommend You the photo exhibition of Arion Kudasz.
The exhibition is named to Garbage Union and reflecting on the borders of human world and environment. The shoots were taken around Budapest and showing a clear picture how the Hungarians treat the nearby nature. The finissage will be held at Lumen Gallery 26. august 2008, 20:00

You can find the gallery at Mikszáth Kálmán tér 2.
Opening hours: Tue-Fr: 8.30-19h, Sat: 10-17h, Sun-Monday: closed
www.photolumen.hu
www.arionkudasz.com

Touring my city Budapest

Tour of the eighth district, Józsefváros, in Hungary’s city centre.

The real Budapest, that's what we saw with the journalists of CaféBabel.com. You can read their impressions on the Beyond Budapest guided tour in six languages.

Beyond Budapest for the waters of the Earth

There will be a world meditation, on the 16.th of August. Millions of people will be concentrating on the waters of the Earth. The Budapest Beyond Sightseeing will meditate as well, for clean waters, for a better world, for a better 8.th district.

The festival of this world meditation can be reached here. And also the amaizing song of the festival. Come with us if you are in Hungary, or meditate with us, if you are in your own country:

"Join the world-meditation! Our world is in crisis. Let’s unite our minds’ power on the 16th of August between 12.20 and 12.50 (Hungarian time) (6.20 and 6.50 a.m. NY-time) to improve our life on this planet. The meditation in English can be downloaded by clicking to (by right-cliking)http://szebbeletert.smartworks.hu/images/avizangol.mp3 The meditation’s effect will be measured in Princetone by Roger Nelson (for details see www.noosphere.princeton.edu)."

St. Rita - mission impossible

Somewhere in the hidden Joseptown stands a chapel which became a place of pilgrimage.
After the second world war's siege a small church was built in the place of a destroyed tyre repair workshop. First it was used by the neighbouring Magdolna Hospital's believers.
By the years it became one of the most important pilgrimage places of Budapest.

The name Saint Rita comes from a XIV.th century saint who gave her life to God.

Saint Rita was born in Italy in the XIV.th century. She lived a solitude life in her childhood already. When she grow up she had to get married to an evil man. After years of fighting and beating trial Saint Rita tamed her husband and gave birth to two sons. Finally when harmony arrivedto the family the husband was murdered and the two children died as well. So Saint Rita joined a religious order in Cascia. As a wife of Jesus Christ she lived till 1457. She became the patron saint of the impossible cases.

If You are brave enough to visit the chapel in the middle of a 'non tourist land' get to Blaha Lujza square. Than follow the Népszínház street (Mc Donald's corner) till Teleki square and turn left. You will find the chapel at Kun street 5.

Sightseeing in Budapest

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Welcome to the 8th district

Dear visitor!

This brand new blog's aim is:

- to provide You programmes connected to the 8th district;

- to guide You to the hidden sights;

- to turn the slummy 8th district into a lively place.

Why the 8th? This part of the city is the poorest area of Budapest with a bad reputation. For us, social workers and social policy makers it is a field to help. Also we have lived here, and fall in love with the charme of the place. We have decided to use our own methods to help. Help's first step was a fieldwork, than guided sightseeing tours (our hobby and job at the same time), now a blog.

Let's join us on the journey to the secret Budapest. Feel free to ask and comment, recommend your own explorations.

Manó Domján&Gyuri Baglyas

founders of Budapest Beyond Sightseeing