Terézváros, miscellaneous pictures - Budimpešta, Mađarska

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GPS koordinate: Širina 47°30'26", Dužina 19°3'45" (N47 30.43 - E19 3.75) Karta

The Fonciére Palace is as old as the Andrássy Avenue

The Fonciére Palace is situated on the Andrássy Avenue in Budapest, at the downtown end (or beginning) of the road. Virtually it is as old as the 2.3-kilometer-long avenue itself, designed by Adolf Feszty and inaugurated in 1882. Its stunning dome was unfortunately destroyed in the World War II, but it still looks majestic, especially that finally the statue of Hermes could be placed back onto its top in 1990.

The so-called Peace Fountain ("Béke kút") in the square behind the sanctuary of the St. Teresa Parish Church

The "lion" drinking fountain at the Király Street in Terézváros district has quite old and adventurous story. The fountain is now standing in the small square behind the St. Teresa of Avila Parish Church, but it wasn't always like this. After it was created by Fidél Kasselik in 1802 it was placed beside the church but on the Nagymező Street side. Not the current stone statue was on its top, but a stone urn or vase with two "handles". In 1804 the Venetian Italian sculptor Antonio Canova created a statue called "Piece", represents a female figure and commemorates the end of the Napoleonic Wars. In 1830 (or in 1835 or 1837) the Hungarian sculptor Mihály Bauer created a 2.4-meter-tall copy of this statue and finally this was placed on the top of the fountain. However after some time this replica was damaged and in 1896 together with the fountain it was transferred to the Népliget ("People's Park"). Here the damaged statue was replaced by the original 180-centimeter-tall empire style stone vase and the former statue was placed on another pedestal.

Between 1986-1989 Walter Madarassy resculpted Canova's statue, this can be seen on the top of the fountain today. The fountain itself was brought back next to the Terézváros Parish Church in 1998, but this time it was placed already in the small square behind the church. The name of the drinking fountain was changed, after the female figure statue now it is called "Piece Fountain".

In addition there is a less fascinating story from the 21st century. At the end of 2013 the church together with the fountain had to be enclosed by a fence and since then it is always closed at night. This is thanks to the some homeless people and young adults who after got out from the taxi regularly urinated on the church wall at night-time.