2012. október 27., szombat

Comprehensive guide to Hungarian housing

People in Hungary live in houses. There are many types of course, some of them typical, some unique. I've tried to describe those I have personal experience with. Enjoy.

Big old town houses

The prettiest ones, if you ask me. Budapest is filled with big, a hundred or so  old houses. Many used to belong to one rich family or company, but was later divided into flats so that other people could move in. Socialism for you. They are typicly 4-6 floors high, and have a huge inner hight inside, like 4-5 meters between the floor and ceiling. Many have an inner courtyard, from where the doors are accessible. They look pretty :) Also, see my previous posts about 100 year old houses here and here.
Houses
 with garden, detached houses, semi-detached houses
Typical, countryside houses, also outer districts of towns have them. Usually a single story, simply built, red roof. has a fence, sometimes a little bench just outside the fence, so that people can sit outside and live their social life. There are of course many forms...


Village church. This one happens to be Greek catholic. Barocchish...

Brick flat from outer district of Budapest, Csepel. In the middle of the factory part. Maybe officialy of the factory lived there ? :)




And that is how a village looks like from the air.

Blocks of flats
The most popular living arrangement in towns. Or just the cheapest. And the smallest. And can possibly be the highest, if you live on the top floors. In the 1960s-1980s (I think) many blocks were built in quick succession to accomoidate the growing number of workers in big towns. They had uniform flats filled with the same stile wardrobes, same lamps, same beds. Very boring, if you ask me. Built from concrete and iron, grey-brown and black, waiting for families. Many are in a rather poor condition, lacking good materials and careful planning for the future.  They usually exist in groups, like a flat block, and have 4, 5, or 10 floors. So, at least, the view can be good... 
Some years ago the so called "panel program" was set by the government. It's aimed to renovate the blocks, namely cnhange the windows; review the central heating system and hopefully make it so that individual flats would be able to measure how much heat they use; and  cover the whole building with a layer of white-green stuff for keeping the warmth in. The program is party financed by the government, partly the local government and partly the inhabitants. It's very tedious, a perfect place for the house's elected council member person to embezzle some money, and some sloppy work. Also, maybe sometimes, worth it. See the house on the left. 

Well, that's it basicly. I have not talked about the traditional Hungarian countryhouse with straw roof and clay floor, with the traditional room arrangaments ("the clean room", kitchen, shed for the tools), maybe next time.

2012. június 17., vasárnap

Múzeumok éjszakája, 2012

 Kezdjük az Iparművészeti Múzeummal és angolságaival:
 Hopp Ferenc Kelet-Ázsiai Múzeum
Hanbok, avagy a koreai esküvői ruha :):):)
Pézügyőr- és Adózástörténeti Múzeum
Avagy hogyan kell szigorúan telefonálni... pénzügyőri egyenruhában.
 A Múzeum gyönyörű szecessziós épülete:






 És adóbevallást sürgető reklámplakátok.

 Figyelmeteket külön felhívom erre itt:
 Az Orfeum és a Grand Royal Hotel előcsarnoka: