On Pest side of city of
Budapest, in the corner of the Boscolo Hotel, opening into the side street is
this opulent coffee shop on many floors that is definitely not 21st
CE. I soon discovered that this is not just a coffee shop as you see it today,
but a piece of history that heritage that is being maintained as such by its
current owners. This café was always meant to be opulent. ‘The most beautiful
coffee shop in the world’ was the vision with which this coffee shop was built
way back on 1894. It was a part of the New York Palace commissioned by the New
York Insurance companies and this may be the only reason I like an Insurance
company.
Ceilings of the café have
panel paintings by Gusztav Mannheimer and Ferenc Eisenhut. Twisted pillars, Golden Stucco work,
Venetian chandeliers contribute to one of the most refined opulent
environments. The table tops on the café tables are mirrors that reflect these paintings
and other art work in a way that they never let your eyes be away from grandeur
even when you look at the table to eat.
This cafe was also the hub
of literati of central Europe region before the First World War. This is where some famous
directors sat and worked on their film ideas. Once upon a time it also served
as the office of the literary periodical Nyugat. It was also a music café;
gypsy music and brass music could be heard here. Personal waiters who
intimately knew the tastes of their regular guests took care of them. Legend is
that it was loved so much by the authors that one of them threw its keys in
Danube so that it could not be closed. After the First World War, this was
opened as a restaurant by the name ‘Deepwater’ for a while before it was closed
in 1930s. It remained a warehouse for next 24 years before it was re-opened
under the name Hungaria in 1954. In 2001, Italian Boscolo group took over and
restored to its original glory, making it one of the must visit places in the
city of Budapest, Once Again!
As I was staying in the Boscolo
hotel, I got to spend two mornings in this Café enjoying the breakfast here. I
highly recommend this Cafe if you are in Budapest.
7 comments:
Hi Anuradha,
Wow, fantastic interiors. This is one of the reasons why I love European Architecture.
Beautiful photographs. :)
Do check out my entry for Get Published.
Regards
Jay
My Blog | My Entry to Indiblogger Get Published
Wow! Fit for the kings and queens. Great photographs.
Thank you Pattu Ji, Hungary is a very photogenic country. Check out the other posts as well.
I don't know if such an opulent cafe can exude the 'feel of coffee', but such a cafe exists is interesting to know.
Hey, I love reading your blog and have nominated you for the Lifetime's Exploration Award... Check out this link for more info...http://getsetandgo.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/my-blogging-journey-completes-1-year/
Congratulations and enjoy :)
Hey, I love reading your blog and have nominated you for the Lifetime's Exploration Award... Check out this link for more info...http://getsetandgo.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/my-blogging-journey-completes-1-year/
Congratulations and enjoy :)
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