Once upon a time Rákosfalva was just the eastern edge of the 8th and 10th districts after Budapest was created. Now let’s explore Rákosfalva. It is one of the smallest districts in Zugló. But Rákosfalva has a high-density population. This is because of the housing estates here.
Rákosfalva started to grow in the 1870s. The area was divided into smaller plots. People built single-story houses here. They made their living from agriculture.
Transportation improved in Rákosfalva in 1888. A new suburban railway connected Gödöllő and Budapest. An organ factory once stood on Szigligeti Street. The Reiger Brothers owned it. It operated from 1900 to 1952. They made hundreds of organs for Hungarian churches.
Today, Rákosfalva has ten-story prefabricated houses. These were built in the 1970s. Only three older buildings remain. These are the Parish Church of Saint Stephen, the school on Álmos Vezér Square, and Cserepes House.
The Parish Church of Saint Stephen is special. József Pucher designed it in the Romanesque-revival style. Its bell was cast in 1871 by Ferenc Walser. This bell was first used in a wooden church. This church stood before the brick one. The stone cross in front of the church is old. It was carved in 1857. It is the oldest religious public monument in Zugló.
Rákosfalva is bordered by main roads and the Rákos Stream. These include Örs Vezér Square, Füredi Road, and Kerepesi Road. Rákosfalva is small but full of stories. It shows how Budapest has grown and changed. From fields to factories to housing estates, Rákosfalva has seen it all.