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Wooden Dolls In Hungarian Folk Costumes
Folk art and trinkets are among the many things on sale at the Central Market in Budapest.
I love markets!
Any regular reader of these “pages” knows that when I travel, I visit local markets whenever I can. Markets give visitors a wonderful insight into the daily life of the people in a country, and – depending on their light and layout – present an idiosyncratic a photographic challenge.
On a visit to Budapest in Hungary with my husband, I was thrilled to have the chance to spend time in the Great Market Hall on Fővám Square. We were staying on boat docked on the Danube River, and had some time free to wander between visiting the hilltop fortress in old Buda (see: From the Danube to Buda Castle), and reconnecting with long lost relatives.
The market – the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest, Hungary – was the dream of the first mayor of Budapest, Károly Kamermayer. Originally designed and built by Hungarian architect and academic, Samu Pecz (1854 – 1922), the market opened in 1897, and soon became an important import-export centre. “In the early days an aisle for wagons ran through the center, with retailers on the east side and wholesalers on the west.”
The market was badly damaged during World War II, and had to be closed for several years. Extensive restoration in the 1990s, however, brought it back to its former glory. The vast three-level hall is light and airy, with a high roof held aloft by elegant steel beams and light pouring in through a huge patchwork of latticed windows. The three floors of stalls, shops and services are popular with tourists and locals alike.
Wandering around there was a treat!
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Nagyvásárcsarnok – Great Market Hall
The entrance gate to Budapest’s largest and oldest indoor has an ornate, neo-gothic facade.
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Inside the Nagyvásárcsarnok (Central Market)
The market was badly damaged during World War II, but was extensively restored in the 1990s.
Traditional Hungarian Food and Drink
“Can I Help You?”
Locals chat with the counter-staff as they do their daily shopping.
Counter Service
Service with a Smile
There is a wide range of goods on offer; my husband couldn’t see past the poppy-seed rolls in the counter window.
Flower Chocolate
I was fascinated by the exotic chocolates with fruit and edible flowers embedded in them.
Fresh Vegetables
Green Grocer and his Fruit
Fresh Grocery
Garlic and chilis hang neatly around grocer’s stalls.
Vegetable Bins
Tomatoes
Pigs’ Trotters and Tripe
Tourists inside the Market
Cold Cuts
Meat Counter
Kolbász
Sausage, in all its variety, is central to Hungarian diet.
Goat’s Head at the Butchers’
Clearly the butchers at the Central Market have a bizarre sense of humour.
Dried Fruit
Dried Nuts
Looking over the Hall
From the upstairs, where the bars, coffee-shops and eateries are, you can look down over the stalls in the spacious hall.
Shopping for Wooden Trinkets
There are plenty of souvenirs for tourists upstairs, as well, …
Traditional Embroidery
… although, rumour has it that most of these “traditional” goods are actually made in China.
Cotton, Linen and Lace
If you look hard, you can find some nice pieces.
Markets are also a wonderful source of inspiration: we picked up colourful packets of paprika – perfect for Hungarian goulash – to take home with us as little gifts for friends and neighbours.
They provide a colourful and fragrant reminder of an afternoon well spent!
Until next time,
Happy Shopping!
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