Széll Kálmán Square
For generations, Széll Kálmán tér has been more than a traffic junction, memorable stories are attached to it, whether it is referred to as Moskva tér or Kalef. In recent years, an exciting group of restaurants in the square has emerged in Korzó, who organize joint events such as the Tavaszi Széll, a modern majális, and in addition to gastronomic adventures, they also offer musical and social experiences.
Gallery
Sights
The art nouveau, towered Postal Palace - today the Money Museum - has stood like a castle above the square since 1926, and since its reconstruction it has been a museum of special banking history artefacts, with a collection of banknotes and medals including a St Stephen's era denarius, and a roof terrace overlooking the whole square.
The benches and flowerbeds of Széll Kálmán Square are decorated with 30 miniature bronze sculptures, while Antal Plank's sculptures - a snail, a bird and an umbrella - were placed there during the renovation to prevent skateboarders from sliding across the square.
The square is dominated by the fan-shaped metro building, which has been in operation since 1972 and houses Budapest's longest escalators.
Interesting facts about the street
"Kalef" was a popular name for the square in the 1960s and 1970s, derived from the word kalefaktor, meaning heater, as the square was once the marketplace of the heater operators, who could be hired to unload and load the fireplaces in the mornings.
Kálmán Széll, the square's first and current namesake, was also Hungary's Minister of Finance and Prime Minister.
The square is also home to one of Budapest's iconic meeting points, the clock.
