Let me tell you about a chapel. Nepomuki Szent J\u00e1nos k\u00e1polna once stood proudly near the old Szent J\u00e1nos K\u00f3rh\u00e1z. Its story is one of faith, loss and remembrance. This chapel dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk had a fascinating history.
In 1710 a terrible plague swept through the city. A hospital was built to care for the sick. Initially it was made of wood then of more permanent materials. Hoffmann Ign\u00e1c a bath master donated to build a chapel next to the hospital. Construction took place in 1735 and 1736. The chapel was dedicated to Nepomuki Szent J\u00e1nos a Prague canon who had recently been canonized. Its entrance faced Margit k\u00f6r\u00fat.
Over time the hospital expanded. Between 1819 and 1829 it grew significantly on the Margit k\u00f6r\u00fat side. The chapel found itself in the middle of the new wing. It received a new classicist facade. However the Sz\u00e9na t\u00e9r side retained its baroque facade. This facade featured two large Corinthian columns. Between them was a relief depicting angels holding a gospel book. Below this a red marble plaque commemorated the hospital’s founding. A statue of Nepomuki Szent J\u00e1nos stood before it on a separate Corinthian column. Another statue of the saint was added to the chapel’s facade in 1829.
By the 20th century the street level had risen. Ten steps led down into the chapel’s interior. Inside it was decorated in the baroque style. The main altar featured a painting by Metz J\u00e1nos a Buda painter. It depicted the glorification of Nepomuki Szent J\u00e1nos from 1801. Statues of Szent Anna and Szt. Joachim stood on either side.
As Budapest grew so did medical practices. The hospital became too small and outdated. A new pavilion-style hospital was built by 1898. This is today’s Szent J\u00e1nos K\u00f3rh\u00e1z. The old building continued to house some hospital departments. From 1932 it served as a municipal charity home.
During the Second World War the building suffered severe damage. In 1946 the chapel was repaired. But the communist regime did not spare church properties. The hospital section was demolished in 1947. In 1949 the chapel was also torn down. Statues and memorials were moved to the Budapest History Museum. Today a bus station stands where the Szent J\u00e1nos K\u00f3rh\u00e1z once stood. A memorial plaque commemorates its history.
Though the Nepomuki Szent J\u00e1nos k\u00e1polna is gone its story remains. It serves as a reminder of faith, charity and the passage of time in Budapest.