Great Market Hall
The Great Market Hall, also known as the Central Market Hall or Market Hall, is Budapest, Hungary's biggest and oldest indoor market. The proposal for such a big market hall came from Budapest's first mayor, Károly Kamermayer, and it was his largest investment. He retired in 1896 and attended the February 15, 1897, opening ceremony. It is located in Fvám plaza on the Pest side of the Liberty bridge, near the end of the popular pedestrian shopping strip Váci utca.
The Great Market Hall features a symmetrical front with patterned brickwork surrounding four smaller windows and a big main window. A tiny tower stands at extremity of the facade. The entrance is stone and Neo-Gothic, but it is the interior that takes your breath away—climb three levels up and look down on a lively, colorful scene of over 180 booths offering flowers, fresh vegetables, cheeses, meats, and seafood. Most notable are kiosks selling red Hungarian paprika and peppers, which are said to promote fertility and good health, and tanks of live carp at Christmas. The barrel-vaulted roof is six stories high, constructed in a lattice of iron. The overall impression is of an iron and glass cathedral devoted to fresh produce and good food.
Location: Budapest 2, Csarnok ter 1093
