Built in the late 19th century the Zrínvi Miklós Laktanya és Egyetemi Campus has a rich history. Originally designed as barracks for the Austro-Hungarian army its functionalist architecture reflects the era. Located near the intersection of Hungária körút and Kerepesi út it was once on the outskirts of Budapest. Street names in the area like Százados utca and Őrnagy utca still evoke its military past.
The complex originally consisted of two large barracks. The first housed cavalry units. The second housed infantry and artillery units. The latter’s vast size led to its division into two parts. One section became the Pálffy János Artillery Barracks a large part of the present-day campus. The other closer to Salgótarjáni út was named the Andrássy Gyula Barracks.
The Zrínvi Miklós Laktanya és Egyetemi Campus uses original buildings from both barracks. A central building housed the officers. Another building near Hős utca housed the non-commissioned officers. Building number 2 served as lodging for the enlisted men. It even had stables for 48 horses. Long stable buildings alongside Building number 2 now serve as storage. Both original barracks had stables. The one in the former Andrássy Barracks is now the Campus Takács Károly sports hall.
Before World War I the complex was reorganized to house the national army. The 12th infantry regiment was stationed here. The barracks were designed for large numbers of soldiers and their horses. Warehouses on the side of Zách utca stored equipment. These warehouses were demolished between the two World Wars. The site then became a center for training military drivers.
After World War I officer training changed. The Magyar Királyi Honvéd Hadiakadémia was established here in 1920. It operated until the end of World War II. The campus expanded with new enlisted men’s buildings near Hős and Zách Streets in 1939.
After the war Soviet-style military training took over. The former Pálffy Barracks was renamed after Marshal Voroshilov. The site became home to the Honvéd Hadiakadémia which later became the Honvéd Akadémia. The former Andrássy Barracks housed the Bem József Légvédelmi Tüzériskola. Building 12 the K building was added in 1951 to accommodate the growing number of cadets. In 1952 the two barracks were formally merged.
In 1955 the institution adopted the name of the military strategist Miklós Zrínyi. It became the Zrínyi Miklós Katonai Akadémia (ZMKA). The 1956 revolution disrupted this progress. The ZMKA was used by paramilitary forces.
Officer training gradually improved after the revolution. The military schools were consolidated. The Petőfi Academy merged with the ZMKA. The former Bem József school buildings then housed instructors their families and out-of-town cadets. A complete reform of military higher education occurred in 1967. This led to improvements in basic officer training.
In the 1980s the campus infrastructure was updated. Building A the command building was finished. A new central boiler room was added. Building D was constructed to house students. New military housing with apartments schools and a kindergarten were built on the former Andrássy Barracks site.
In 1996 the Zrínyi Miklós Nemzetvédelmi Egyetem was formed from a merger of military education institutions. In 2012 this institution became part of the Nemzeti Közigazgatási Egyetem. The Faculty of Military Science and Officer Training is now located here on this campus we see before us today. This remarkable campus is a testament to the enduring legacy of military training and its ongoing evolution within the heart of Budapest.