(Rákóczi Avenue) is one of the busiest arterial roads in

Budapest, Hungary Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population of ...

. It runs in an east-west direction through the city.

Location

It starts at the Astoria, the intersection with Little Boulevard in the

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

and runs to east between VII. and VIII. districts, crossing the Grand Boulevard until gets the

Keleti Railway Station Budapest Keleti (Eastern) station ( hu, Keleti pályaudvar) is the main international and inter-city railway terminal in Budapest, Hungary. The station stands where Rákóczi út splits to become Kerepesi Avenue and Thököly Avenue. Keleti p ...

(the central inter-city and international railway terminal of Budapest).

History

The ancestor of Rákóczi Avenue was (lit. "Road to Hatvan"), a medieval trading road, which ran from the eastern

city gate A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. It is a type of fortified gateway. Uses City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods ...

Pest Pest or The Pest may refer to: Science and medicine * Pest (organism), an animal or plant deemed to be detrimental to humans or human concerns ** Weed, a plant considered undesirable * Infectious disease, an illness resulting from an infection ** ...

(named , literally "gate to Hatvan", present day Astoria) to Northern Hungary. In the 19th century the road become more and more important due to urbanization and

industrialization Industrialisation ( alternatively spelled industrialization) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial society. This involves an extensive re-organisation of an econo ...

. In 1804 it was renamed (literally "Road to

Kerepes Kerepes is a village in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary. It has a population of 9,903 (2008). Notable people *Zoltán Sándor (born 1928), sports shooter Twin towns – sister cities Kerepes is twinned with: * Dealu, Romania * ...

"). The former road was rebuilt in eclectic style after the 1884 grand opening of

. At the beginning of the 20th century it was one of the most prominent avenues of Budapest along with

Andrássy Avenue The House of Andrássy is the name of a Hungarian noble family of very ancient lineage that was prominent in Hungarian history. The full family name is ''Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka''. ''Csíkszentkirály'' is a town in modern- ...

. In 1906 it was renamed (Rákóczi Avenue) after Francis II Rákóczi, when his remains returned to Hungary from Turkey and his long funeral march went along the avenue from

St. Stephen's Basilica St. Stephen's Basilica ( hu, Szent István-bazilika ) is a Roman Catholic basilica in Budapest, Hungary. It is named in honour of Stephen, the first King of Hungary (c 975–1038), whose right hand is housed in the reliquary. It was the sixth l ...

. The first traffic light in Hungary was built at the intersection of Rákóczi Avenue and Grand Boulevard (

Blaha Lujza tér Blaha or Bláha (feminine: Bláhová) is a Czech and Slovak surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Constantin Blaha, Austrian diver * Dagmar Bláhová (born 1949), Czech television actress * František Bláha, Czech sport shooter * Ge ...

) in 1926. In the 1970s it was widened; the tram tracks were demolished in 1973 due to the grand opening of Metro Line 2 in 1972. Today Rákóczi Avenue is a six-lane arterial road, sometimes described as an urban motorway.

Notable buildings

* Danubius Hotel Astoria (, in

Kossuth Lajos Lajos Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva (, hu, udvardi és kossuthfalvi Kossuth Lajos, sk, Ľudovít Košút, anglicised as Louis Kossuth; 19 September 1802 – 20 March 1894) was a Hungarian nobleman, lawyer, journalist, polit ...

street) *Uránia National Movie Theatre () * Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest () *Rókus chapel () *

St. Rochus Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79 (traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327, also called Rock in English, is a Catholic saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he is especially invoked a ...

Hospital () *National Theatre (1908 – 1964, demolished as part of the construction of Metro Line 2) * Europeum (shopping mall) *

Sources

*Budapest City Atlas, Dimap-Szarvas, Budapest, 2011,
Sugárútból autópálya (from avenue to motorway), Táj-Kert Blog
*Budapest enciklopédia, Corvina, 1981,
The first traffic light in Hungary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rakoczi ut Streets in Budapest Urban planning in Hungary Rákóczi family