Hungary's New Government Halts Liget Project, Scraps SANAA-Designed National Gallery
The Hungarian government has officially canceled the Liget project in Budapest's City Park, which included plans for a New National Gallery designed by Japan's SANAA architects. A decree issued on June 18 put a stop to all construction activities, following delays that began in 2019 due to objections from the mayor and environmental activists. The proposed museum, covering 50,000 sq. m, was intended to be a key part of the development alongside the House of Hungarian Music and a new Museum of Ethnography. Minister Dávid Vitézy confirmed that the gallery will not be constructed in City Park, and the remaining areas will be converted back into public parkland. No new site for the National Gallery has been determined, with the project estimated to cost around 100 billion forints (€300 million).
Key facts
- Hungary's new government scrapped plans for a New National Gallery in Budapest's City Park.
- The New National Gallery was designed by SANAA architects.
- The Liget project included the House of Hungarian Music and a new Museum of Ethnography.
- Construction of the museum had been stalled since 2019 due to opposition from the mayor and environmental groups.
- A decree published on 18 June ended all construction work on the Liget project.
- Dávid Vitézy, minister of transport and public works, said the gallery will not be built in City Park.
- The Hungarian National Gallery has been located in Buda Castle since 1975.
- The estimated cost of the SANAA design was around 100 billion forints (€300 million).
Entities
Artists
- SANAA
Institutions
- Hungarian National Gallery
- Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum)
- House of Hungarian Music
- Museum of Ethnography
- AICA (International Association of Art Critics)
- The Art Newspaper
- HVG
Locations
- Budapest
- Hungary
- City Park (Városliget)
- Buda Castle
- Danube
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands