Budapest Is Going Green — One Courtyard at a Time

If you’ve ever wandered through Budapest’s inner districts and peeked through the iron gates of an old apartment building, you’ve likely glimpsed one of the city’s most charming architectural features: the gangos udvar, or gallery courtyard. These enclosed, multi-story inner courtyards are a signature of Budapest’s 19th-century residential architecture, particularly in districts like the 7th and 8th. But for decades, many of them sat grey, underused, and largely forgotten — until now.

A quietly ambitious urban greening program called Égig Érő Fű — which translates poetically as Grass Reaching to the Sky — is transforming these hidden spaces into lush green oases. And the latest figures suggest that Budapest residents are more enthusiastic about the initiative than ever before.

What Is the “Grass Reaching to the Sky” Program?

Launched six years ago as part of Budapest’s broader urban planning framework known as the Radó Dezső Plan, the program invites residential communities in inner-city buildings to apply for grants to install green features in their courtyards. Think vertical green walls, rooftop gardens, modular green cassettes, and plant-covered walkways tucked inside century-old buildings.

The program specifically targets areas in the inner city that are historically lacking in green space — dense, built-up neighbourhoods where parks and gardens are hard to come by. For residents and visitors alike, these transformed courtyards offer a surprising pocket of calm in the middle of a bustling European capital.

Record Interest in 2026

The 2025 application cycle, which closed on March 4, 2026, saw a remarkable 50% surge in interest compared to previous years. A total of 66 residential communities submitted applications — a record for the program — signalling that Budapest’s passion for urban greening is very much on the rise.

This spike in participation came after the Budapest General Assembly doubled the program’s total budget to 80 million Hungarian forints. Individual buildings can now receive between 800,000 and 3,500,000 forints in post-financing support, with applicants covering just 10% as their own contribution. That kind of financial backing has clearly resonated: more building communities than ever before are ready to dig in — quite literally.

Sándor Bardóczi, Budapest’s Chief Landscape Architect, celebrated the response on social media, writing: “The program has been running for 5 years with growing interest. Thank you for the submitted applications — now it’s our turn.” His enthusiasm reflects a broader shift in how the city thinks about its relationship with nature and public wellbeing.

What Happens Next?

The submitted applications are currently being reviewed by the Urban Planning Department for completeness. From there, a professional jury will evaluate each proposal on its merits before the Climate Protection, Transport and Urban Development Committee of the Budapest General Assembly makes the final funding decisions — with a deadline of May 31, 2026. Winning buildings are expected to sign their support contracts by the end of June, meaning some courtyards could begin their green transformation before summer is over.

Why Tourists Should Pay Attention

You might wonder what a local grant program has to do with your Budapest trip — and the answer is: quite a lot, actually. The Grass Reaching to the Sky initiative is part of what makes Budapest such a fascinating city to explore on foot. Some of the already-transformed courtyards, like the celebrated example on Márvány Street or the award-winning courtyard in Józsefváros (the 8th district), have become hidden gems in their own right.

Strolling through Budapest’s inner districts, especially the 6th (Terézváros), 7th (Erzsébetváros), and 8th (Józsefváros), gives you a front-row seat to this ongoing urban renaissance. Keep an eye out for open gates and peek inside — you never know when you’ll stumble upon a courtyard bursting with greenery, a vertical garden climbing several floors, or a rooftop terrace full of flowering plants.

A City Reinventing Itself, One Courtyard at a Time

Budapest has always been a city of contrasts — grand boulevards and crumbling backstreets, thermal baths and contemporary ruin bars, imperial architecture and creative reinvention. The Grass Reaching to the Sky program adds another beautiful layer to that story: a city actively stitching nature back into the fabric of its most urban spaces, one enclosed courtyard at a time.

For visitors, it’s a reminder that the most memorable travel experiences often come not from famous landmarks, but from the quiet, unexpected details that reveal how a city truly lives and breathes.