A Musical Welcome: Budapest Airport’s Stunning New Liszt Installation
Where history, music, and travel meet
If you’re flying into Budapest this winter, you’re in for a special kind of welcome. At Ferenc Liszt International Airport, the city’s main gateway, a striking new art installation has just opened — a three-dimensional portrait of the great Hungarian composer Ferenc Liszt, created from hundreds of vintage instruments and historical fragments.
This isn’t just a piece of airport decor. It’s the grand finale of a year-long celebration marking the 75th anniversary of the airport’s opening, and it turns the arrival experience into something quietly magical: a moment where music, history, and modern travel come together in one unforgettable image.
A portrait made of sound
The installation, unveiled on December 19, 2025 in Terminal 2B, was created by Czech artist and sculptor Patrik Proško, known for his large-scale, thought-provoking works across Europe and beyond. What makes this piece so special is how it was made: Proško used only period artifacts connected to Liszt’s life and music — old pianos, instrument parts, and even historical documents — to build a complex, layered portrait of the composer.
The work is an anamorphic sculpture, meaning it only comes into focus from a specific viewing angle. As you walk through the terminal, the image of Liszt seems abstract, almost like a puzzle of wood and metal. But when you find the right spot, everything aligns: the scattered pieces suddenly form a clear, powerful likeness of the composer, as if the music itself has taken shape.
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Proško describes the installation as a kind of stage — a visual metaphor for how music is born. Inside Liszt’s head, a piano represents his creative mind, where ideas are transformed into scores and symphonic poems. Around it, the instruments and workshop-like elements show the journey from inspiration to performance, turning the whole piece into a tribute to Liszt’s genius and the creative process itself.
Why Liszt? Why now?
Ferenc Liszt is more than just a famous name on the airport’s sign. He’s one of Hungary’s most iconic cultural figures — a virtuoso pianist, composer, and teacher whose influence still echoes in concert halls around the world. Naming the airport after him was always a statement: this is a place that welcomes travelers not just with efficiency, but with a deep connection to Hungarian art and identity.
The 75th anniversary gave Budapest Airport the perfect chance to celebrate that connection. Throughout 2025, the airport hosted a series of events honoring both its own history and Liszt’s legacy: a special Liszt concert, a Piano Day celebration, a limited-edition LEGO model of Terminal 1, and even a children’s book and video series created by airport staff.
The Liszt installation is the emotional high point of that year — a permanent reminder that this airport is more than a transit hub. It’s a cultural threshold, the first place where millions of visitors encounter the spirit of Budapest.
A year of records and a future of growth
2025 wasn’t just a year of celebration; it was also a record-breaking one for the airport. Passenger numbers hit new highs, reflecting Budapest’s growing popularity as a European destination.
At the inauguration, Máté Lóga, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Budapest Airport, described the anniversary as a meeting of past and future. The Liszt installation, he said, is a fitting end to a great year — but it’s also a bridge to what’s coming next.
Major developments are already on the horizon: preparations for a new terminal are underway, and in the meantime, the current terminal is being upgraded. Security screening and check-in areas are being expanded, the parking system is being modernized, and Pier B is getting a significant extension. All of this is part of a long-term plan to build the airport of the future — one that’s not only more efficient but also more comfortable and more connected to the city it serves.
What this means for travelers
For tourists arriving in Budapest, the Liszt installation is more than just a photo opportunity (though it’s definitely that, too). It’s a gentle introduction to the city’s soul: a place that values music, history, and beauty, even in the busiest of spaces.
Standing in front of the sculpture, you’re reminded that Budapest isn’t just about thermal baths, ruin bars, and Christmas markets. It’s also a city of composers, poets, and artists — a cultural capital where creativity has always been at the heart of everyday life.
And for those who love classical music, the installation is a small but meaningful invitation: once you’ve collected your luggage and found your way into the city, Liszt’s world is waiting. You can visit the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, explore the Hungarian State Opera House, or simply sit in a café and listen to his music drifting from a nearby piano.
A warm, artistic welcome to Budapest
In an age when airports can feel anonymous and rushed, Budapest’s new Liszt installation stands out as something different: a moment of stillness, beauty, and meaning.
Whether you’re here for a weekend getaway, a long city break, or a visit to family and friends, that first glimpse of Liszt’s face — built from the very instruments that brought his music to life — is a quiet but powerful message: welcome to Budapest, a city that sings.
So next time you’re passing through Terminal 2B, take a few extra minutes. Find the right angle, let the image come into focus, and let the music begin.
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