Category: Hungary

Located in District XI of Budapest, I’m not sure that I’ve seen a sculpture quite like this before and it commemorates the life of Gyula Grosics (1926-2014) who was the goalkeeper of the Hungarian national team in the 1950s. This team is apparently arguably one of the best to have ever played and Grosics was an integral part of that squad. He had the nickname of the ‘Black Panther’ as he wore black clothing when playing and he received 86 caps for the national team. The sculpture was installed here in 2018 and was designed by Kligl Sándor (1947-) who is an award winning Hungarian sculptor.

Here’s the information panel by the sculpture, which translated reads:

“PLAYERS SHOULD NOT EVEN ACCIDENTALLY BELIEVE
THAT THEY ARE HONOURING THE AUDIENCE
BUT RATHER THE OTHER WAY AROUND
THE PLAYER SHOULD FEEL HONOURED
THAT THEY CAN REPRESENT THE COLOURS OF A NATION
IN THE WIDE WORLD…” GYULA GROSICS

GYULA GROSICS
“BLACK PANTHER”
(1926 – 2014)

LEGENDARY GOALKEEPER OF THE GOLDEN TEAM
SPORTSMAN OF THE NATION, OLYMPIC CHAMPION
HONORARY CITIZEN OF OUR DISTRICT
ERECTED IN HIS MEMORY BY
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF ÚJBUDA
2018

ARTIST: SÁNDOR KLIGL”

In my attempts to visit as many places in District XI as possible, I decided to see what this rather on-trend Hungarian burger chain was like. It’s located at the Etele Plaza and I went there as it was so hot outside that I was craving air conditioning. The chain has been going since 2013 when they started with a food truck (they got their first restaurant in 2014) and there are around ten outlets in Budapest now and they’re growing throughout Hungary following their decision to start franchising.

This is the view from my table.

I was pleased to see that there was a kiosk to order from, which might sound very British, but they are a lot easier to use when trying to explore the menu at a fast food location. I went for the chicken burger, fries, onion rings and a Dr. Pepper. There’s an extra charge for sauces, but luckily I had several in my bag from the UK and so that saved a little money. The prices were towards the higher end of the scale for Hungary, but it is located in a posh shopping centre, although the cost of £9 didn’t feel unreasonable. As I ordered via a kiosk there was minimal engagement possible from team members, although the service seemed friendly.

The chicken burger was decent, although the roll doesn’t look very decadent (although they are made specially for the chain), with the chicken being tender and having a richness of flavour to it. The onion rings were pretty standard and the fries were firm on the exterior and fluffy on the inside, but otherwise unremarkable. The Dr. Pepper was excellent, but that’s always the case, although I don’t tend to drink fizzy drinks very much any more.

I thought that it was all pleasant enough and they seem to be attracting a generally younger crowd judging by the other customers. The on-line reviews are broadly positive and the quality seems high, so I imagine that they’ll be plenty more of these venues popping up around the country over the next few years. I should though, for the sake of completeness, try one of their beef burgers next time to see just how decadent and exciting they are.

I’ve been walking around District XI for two days and I’ve realised I’ve managed to visit all the craft beer bars already and left other matters, but there we go….. Anyway, this rather intriguing venue is located at Bikas Park, although I understand that they started off with a craft beer bar somewhere else in the city.

The craft beer options aren’t the easiest to see, but there are some tempting beers on there. They do food as well although it was too hot for me to be able to think about that, as I’m not very good with scorchingly high temperatures.

The interior of the bar and most people were sitting outside because they like being attacked by wasps and getting sun burnt. It was clean, functional and welcoming with something of an on-trend feel to it. They seemed to be selling a fair amount of coffees, so I think there’s something of a cafe bar style to the place.

I compromised and sat near to the outside to show a willing attitude towards sitting in the park.

The first beer I went for was the 3 Bean Stout from Lervig and I’ve had this before in the UK and rated it very highly. It’s a rich, powerful, punchy and robust beer with flavours of coffee and decadence. Lervig are from Stavanger which is a city that I’ve been to, but before I knew about craft beer, so I must consider another visit there to see the brewery itself.

The second beer I went for was the Rebel Berry from Horizont Brewing and this was suitably sour with plenty of raspberry to it, although it was a little thin.

The prices are towards the higher end of the scale, but still below what they’d cost in the UK, so I was content with the arrangement. The service was friendly and efficient, although I did think that the ordering process was a little unclear as to whether to order at the bar or wait for table service. There’s a decent range of keg options and also plenty of cans on display as well, with most beer styles being covered, so I’d happily go here again as it’s always positive to see such efforts being made with craft beer.

Located in District XI of Budapest, this is the statue of Cseh Tamás (1943-2009) although ChatGPT was quite confident that it was John Lennon and I can understand that. The bronze statue is located at Szent Gellért Square, in front of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics building, and was unveiled in September 2013. The bronze statue was designed by István Majoros and it was placed here because it was near to where Tamás used to live.

My knowledge of music can best be described as sub-optimal, but here he is….

I’ve visited Budapest a few times before and been to the major tourist sites. This time I want to try and get a deeper understanding of the city so I spent a day a few weeks ago without leaving District VII and that felt a manageable size in terms of exploration. I have more to do, but I saw lots of history, visited a restaurant, craft beer bar and the like. I haven’t managed to write about that yet, but I’ve started to do the same thing with District XI this week. I have though discovered that this district is huge and it’s going to take me several days to really get an understanding of it, look at the size of it in the above map. But I like a challenge.

This will become an index page at some stage…..

INDEX OF PLACES

[coming soon]

THE BACKGROUND

I must admit that I got AI to write this, to give me an idea what to expect and as some background to the district.

“District XI, or Újbuda, occupies Budapest’s southwestern flank, stretching from the Danube’s riverbank up into the rolling Buda Hills. Its origins lie in medieval vineyards and small hamlets that supplied wine to Buda and Pest. During the 19th century, as Budapest unified and expanded, these rural plots gave way to urban development. By the interwar period, Újbuda had grown into a mix of residential quarters and light industry. After World War II, socialist-era planning added large housing estates—Gazdagrét and Őrmező among them—while preserving pockets of older villas and hillside wine cellars. Since the 1990s, riverside regeneration (notably at Kopaszi Gát) and university campus expansions have reshaped the district once more, melding its historical layers with contemporary architecture.

Today, Újbuda’s terrain transitions from busy riverfront boulevards—where cafés, apartment towers and the Kopaszi Gát leisure park line the Danube—to quieter, tree-draped slopes peppered with hiking trails and centuries-old viniculture cellars (pincék). Major transport hubs include Móricz Zsigmond körtér, a nexus of Metro 4, tram lines 4/6 and bus routes adjacent to the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), and Kelenföld Railway Station, which links to regional and international rail services. Bartók Béla Boulevard weaves through the district as a vibrant cultural corridor, its galleries, artisan cafés and craft breweries reflecting a creative, youthful energy alongside quiet residential streets.

Home to over 150,000 people—students, families, professionals and retirees—Újbuda thrives on its blend of academic institutions, green spaces and local commerce. BME and Semmelweis University anchor a lively student population, while Kopaszi Gát’s open-air concerts and riverside promenades draw both locals and visitors. Quaint markets (such as Gazdagrét Market Hall) and family-run eateries offer traditional fare—lángos, chimney cake—alongside riverside brasseries. With excellent public-transport links, leafy suburban pockets and easy access to both city landmarks and hillside retreats, District XI encapsulates a dynamic fusion of Budapest’s past and present, balancing urban vitality with natural tranquility.”