“Zsuzsanna-telep” was its first name. Imagine that Rákoshegy once started as just that. Now, we stand in Rákoshegy a vibrant part of Budapest’s District XVII. District XVII is also known as Rákosmente. This suburban district on the left bank of the Danube is the largest in Budapest. Nearly 90000 people call it home.
Rákoshegy’s story began in the late 19th century. The Podmaniczky family owned this land then. They sold their Rákos area holdings to developers in 1890. That sale spurred the parceling of land. Ignác Fuchs bought the area that makes up today’s Rákoshegy. He named it Zsuzsanna-telep after his wife.
The first house was built here in 1892. Plots were cheap so Rákoshegy grew quickly. A train stop soon followed. In 1913 Rákoskeresztúr-Kavicsbánya became Rákoshegy on the railway schedule.
Its population boomed and Rákoshegy needed a school. Instruction began in 1908 at Terézia Tóth’s private school. Rákoshegy separated from Rákoskeresztúr in 1921. It became an independent large village.
In 1937 Bishop István Haász dedicated the church. It was built to honor Saint Therese of Lisieux. Architect László Irsy designed it.
Rákoshegy became part of Budapest in 1950. It joined many other suburban settlements. This happened on January 1st.
Rákoshegy includes Felsőrákoshegy and Alsórákoshegy. It also includes Zsuzsannatelep, Helikopter lakópark and Nagyhangács. Its boundaries stretch south from Rákoskeresztúr. Széchenyi Street marks part of the border.
The Helikopter lakópark is Rákoshegy’s newest section. Parcels were created in 2003. Aviation history inspired the area’s name and street names. The nearby Rákos field played an important role in Hungarian aviation. So streets honor Hungarian pilots.
The Rákoshegy railway station is on the Budapest-Újszász-Szolnok line. Ignác Fuchs developed Rákoshegy in the 1890s. The area got its own stop by 1896. It was first called Rákoskeresztúr-Kavicsbánya. A gravel pit was next to the station. Today a sports field occupies the pit’s former location.
The station was renovated in the 1960s. A pedestrian underpass was added in 1964. The line was electrified by 1973. By the 1990s the station had declined. A new schedule in 2004 helped reverse that trend. Further renovations occurred in 2009-2010.
Notable figures have called Rákoshegy home. Composer Béla Bartók lived here between 1912 and 1920. His former home is now a music center. It hosts a permanent exhibition about his life. Writer Renée Erdős also lived in Rákoshegy. Her house is now a cultural institution. It features exhibits and her preserved study.
Rákoshegy may be a district within Budapest. But it retains its own unique history and identity. From Zsuzsanna-telep to a hub of aviation-inspired streets. Rákoshegy’s story continues to evolve.