EAST STATION (KELETI PÁLYAUDVAR)

The station, a magnificent neo-Renaissance building, was opened to traffic in 1884. The arch of the main concourse, spanning 44 m, was considered a daring achievement at the time. The splendid royal waiting room, once reserved for Sissi and her husband Franz Josef, is located on the left after the first platforms, and simply serves as a hall leading to the outside. The indefatigable Károly Lotz has painted several frescoes inside the station.

History. Budapest-Keleti station opened on August 15, 1884, serving Hungary, Romania and the Balkans(Kelet is Hungarian for "east"). At the time of its inauguration, it was considered one of the most modern railway stations in Europe, with statues of George Stephenson and James Watt in its concourse. The façade of the original main building, 43 m high and eclectic in style, is well worth a look, if only to appreciate the allegorical sculpture by Gyula Bezerédi that adorns its frontispiece: Vulcan (god of fire) and Neptune (god of water) flank Steam, brandishing a gear. The building has stood the test of time, retaining its charm even after several renovations. It remains a key witness to the railway architecture of the late ^19th century, and even today, Budapest-Keleti station is an essential transportation hub in Hungary and Europe, linking Budapest to major Hungarian and international cities.