This house has history. Of course, that history is closely connected to the history of the street, so first a little background.
Király utca, the King’s Alley. Its name has changed countless times, as has its significance for the city. Until the end of the 19th century, Király was the lifeblood of the city. The trade centre and main link to the city centre. There were several shops, bars and nightclubs in each block. In the “Orpheum zur blauen Katze”, it was said that the dancers wore nothing but a necklace of genuine pearls. Some of the many wine bars on the street employed men who brought drunks home in a wheelbarrow, as horse-drawn carriages would no longer take them. Király, a street full of life, noise and vices.
From the middle of the 19th century onwards, the absolute determination of Hungarian statesmen to open up Budapest to other European cities grew. The city was evaluated, planned afresh and renovated. Andrássy út was built parallel to Király utca. A splendid boulevard, a new main street to stand as a symbol for a new, modern Budapest. Király became less important, but to this day retains its charm.
The building which currently houses wombat’s CITY HOSTEL Budapest was built in Király’s heyday, in 1840. It was actually always in use as a residential building. Over the decades the ground floor played host to bars, shops, cafés, a bakery, and for a few years even an umbrella and parasol factory. For most of the 20th century it was a 4-star hotel.
We are proud to have been permitted as of 2012 to write a new chapter in the history of this building with wombat’s CITY HOSTEL Budapest. As a hostel, a home for young travellers, wombat’s CITY HOSTEL is ideal located. Close to all the sights, in the centre and in the middle of a street that improves with age. The ruin bars, the venues and restaurants, the thrilling nightlife. Király once more covers the entire spectrum, although people are rarely brought home in a wheelbarrow these days.
