Budapest100 Open Houses Weekend 2026: Step Inside a Century of Budapest History
Some of the most fascinating stories in Budapest are hidden behind closed doors — inside century-old apartment buildings, grand villas, historic cinemas, and community spaces that rarely welcome the public. Budapest100, the city’s beloved open houses festival, changes that for one special weekend every year. On May 9–10, 2026, 41 historic buildings across the Hungarian capital will throw open their doors for a free, city-wide celebration of architecture, community, and living history.
What Is Budapest100?
Budapest100 is an annual architectural and cultural festival co-founded by KÉK – Contemporary Architecture Centre and the Blinken OSA Archive. It launched in 2011 with a simple but powerful idea: celebrate the buildings turning 100 that year by inviting the public inside. Over the past 15 years, more than 700 buildings have participated, drawing over 170,000 visitors and bringing together more than 2,600 volunteers who research and share the stories behind each building.
This year, the festival enters its 16th edition and returns to its original concept after several years of exploring themed neighborhoods and architectural movements. Budapest100 2026 is once again celebrating the city’s centenarian buildings — those built between 1916 and 1926.
Why This Year Is Extra Special
As the organizers put it, a 100th birthday is a privilege — whether it belongs to a person or a building. It’s a moment for gratitude, remembrance, and celebration, and Budapest100 2026 is embracing that spirit fully. This edition is shaping up to be the largest in the festival’s history, with buildings across 11 different districts participating.
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The 41 participating locations aren’t just architectural landmarks. They’re living archives that hold the memories of generations, the traces of entire communities, and a century’s worth of city life. Walking through them feels less like a museum visit and more like stepping into a story that’s still being written.
What Buildings Can You Explore?
The range of participating buildings is genuinely impressive. Visitors can explore inner-city apartment buildings, suburban villas, churches, a cinema, a historic hotel, a pastry shop, and even kindergartens. Here are some highlights from the confirmed list:
- Puskin Cinema (Kossuth Lajos utca 18., District V) — a beloved historic movie theater in the city center
- Corvin Palace (Blaha Lujza tér 1–2., District VIII) — one of Budapest’s most iconic early 20th-century landmarks
- Danubius Hotel Gellért (Szent Gellért tér 2., District XI) — the legendary spa hotel on the Danube bank, celebrating its centenary
- Holocaust Memorial Center (Páva utca 39., District IX) — a deeply significant cultural institution
- Lipták Villa (Hermina út 3., District XIV) — a charming historic villa in one of Budapest’s leafier neighborhoods
- Auguszt Cukrászda (Sasadi út 190., District XI) — a historic pastry shop with a century of sweet tradition
- Budapest Festival Orchestra Building (Selmeci utca 14–16., District III)
- Al Habtoor Palace (Erzsébet tér 9–10., District V)
The Full List of Participating Buildings
District I
- Attila út 2.
- Várfok utca 14.
District II
- Érmelléki utca 8.
- Rhédey utca 8/a
- Riadó utca 2/a–b (Hungarian Anthroposophical Society)
- Szemlőhegy utca 27/b (Szemlőhegy Street Kindergarten)
- Torockó utca 3.
District III
- Emőd utca 40.
- Selmeci utca 14–16. (Budapest Festival Orchestra Building)
District V
- Erzsébet tér 9–10. (Al Habtoor Palace)
- Kossuth Lajos utca 18. (Puskin Cinema)
- Piarista utca 1.
- Régi posta utca 7–9.
District VII
- Akácfa utca 15–23. (BKV Headquarters)
District VIII
- Blaha Lujza tér 1–2. (Corvin Palace)
- Corvin köz 5.
- Vajda Péter utca 43/a–b
District IX
- Közraktár utca 30. (RiverPark Office Building)
- Mester utca 33–35.
- Páva utca 39. (Holocaust Memorial Center)
- Soroksári út 164. (Hazai Fésűsfonó és Szövőgyár)
District XI
- Balogh Tihamér utca 8.
- Bartók Béla út 124–126.
- Kardhegy utca 2. (Kelenvölgyi Community House)
- Kelenhegyi út 16/b–18.
- Mányoki út 3.
- Sasadi út 190. (Auguszt Pastry Shop)
- Somlói út 50. (Budapest School)
- Szent Gellért tér 2. (Danubius Hotel Gellért)
- Tarcali utca 20.
- Zenta utca 1–5.
District XII
- Maros utca 6/a
- Márvány utca 44.
- Ráth György utca 15.
- Ugocsa utca 5.
District XIII
- Radnóti Miklós utca 24.
District XIV
- Amerikai út 40/a
- Amerikai út 74.
- Gizella út 35.
- Hermina út 3. (Lipták Villa)
District XXII
- Demjén István utca 2.
How to Make the Most of the Weekend
Most events during the Open Houses Weekend are free and require no registration, so you can simply show up and explore at your own pace. For guided walks and select special programs, registration opens on April 23 on the official Budapest100 website. Spots for these tend to go quickly, so it’s worth checking back as soon as the full program goes live on April 22.
Printed program booklets will also be available at the Contemporary Architecture Centre (KÉK) and the Blinken OSA Archive, as well as other designated locations announced on the festival’s social media channels.
Practical Information
- Dates: Saturday–Sunday, May 9–10, 2026
- Locations: 41 buildings across 11 Budapest districts
- Admission: Free; most events require no registration
- Full program published: April 22, 2026
- Registration for select events: Opens April 23, 2026
- More info: budapest100.hu
Budapest100 is one of those rare events that genuinely transforms the way you experience a city. By the end of the weekend, the buildings lining Budapest’s streets stop being mere backdrops and start feeling like witnesses to a hundred years of extraordinary life — and that’s a perspective well worth seeking out.