Kolosy tér

Can a square hold two thousand years of history? Kolosy tér can. This square isn’t just a place where districts II and III meet. It’s a crossroads of time, where the ancient Roman city of Aquincum once thrived and the modern heart of Óbuda beats. Kolosy tér marks the spot where Roman legions once camped, near the present-day Aquincum Hotel and Szentlélek tér. Their city, Aquincum, bustled with life. Even after Rome’s fall, life continued here in Óbuda. Centuries later, German settlers cultivated the land. Kolosy tér became the center of the former community of Szentjakabfalva. This bustling marketplace, first documented in 1702, was originally called Markt Platz, or Market Square. Kolosy tér has worn many names: Heu Platz (Hay Square), Pfarrkirchen Platz (Parish Church Square), and even Lujza tér, after the powerful Lujza Steam Mill that once dominated the square. But the name that finally stuck, in 1900, honors György Kolosy, a Transylvanian-born officer in the 1848-49 Revolution. Kolosy, a law student in Pest, became entangled in revolutionary fervor. He played a key role in the events that led to the death of Count Ferenc Füllöp Lamberg, the Imperial Commissioner of Hungary. Forced to flee, disguised in women’s clothing, Kolosy fought alongside General Józef Bem. He bravely defended Komárom Castle. After the revolution’s defeat, Kolosy hid under the name Frunza. Believing he might be spared, Kolosy surrendered. However, he was sentenced to death and executed in January 1850. Kolosy tér, a place of such rich history, fell into neglect for a time. Revitalized in the early 2000s, the square now forms part of the pedestrianized Óbuda Promenade. The market building, with its unrealized potential as a gastronomic hub, stands as a reminder of the square’s ever-evolving nature. Across the way, the award-winning Bécsi (Vienna) Corner office building, once a school, showcases a respectful renovation that honors the past. Perhaps, one day, the market will see a similar rebirth.