Palatinus Beach Gets Its First Memorial Plaque

If you think Budapest is just all about castles and ruin bars, allow me to let you in on a local secret: when summer hits, Palatinus Beach on Margaret Island becomes the city’s ultimate playground. This legendary open-air bath isn’t just about splashing around – it’s a backdrop for decades of family memories, epic ping-pong battles, and now, its very first memorial plaque!

A Historic First: Palatinus Honors Its Old-Timers

Margaret Island is basically Budapest’s unofficial chill-out capital, but nowhere do locals feel more “at home” than at Palatinus Beach. For kids, grownups, and entire clans, the Palatinus isn’t just a bunch of pools on a patch of grass – it’s that nostalgic slice of summer where lifelong friendships are forged and hilarious family stories are made. Just ask the Győri family, who’ve spent more summers here than they can probably count. In fact, these cherished memories just got set in stone – literally – with the beach’s first-ever memorial plaque, inaugurated on a sun-drenched August 23rd, cozily fixed to a bench by the Margaréta pool.

Why a Plaque? Because Palatinus Is All About Family Legends

This wasn’t some bureaucratic monument – it was a heartfelt move by the Győri family, in honor of their father, György Győri (a teacher, librarian, and writer), their mother, Ágnes Hermann, and – most importantly – the good old days at “the Pala.” Apparently, summer at Palatinus meant everything from sunbathing and cannonballs to some now legendary table tennis duels. The kind of battles that can outlast an entire ice cream cone, and certainly leave a mark in any family’s collective memory!

Entire generations of the Győri family turned up for the event, including students and the famous ping-pong mates of György himself. Among the guests was none other than János Faházi, Hungary’s table tennis wizard and a world and European bronze medalist. If that’s not an all-star cast for a bench dedication, what is?

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Palatinus: Budapest’s Aquatic Living Room

Palatinus isn’t just the city’s splashiest attraction; it’s a time machine for locals. During the summer, thousands descend on its grassy lawns and sun-warmed pools. It’s a place where Budapest’s families have created generational traditions – passing down secrets like the best time to snag a spot under a tree or how to win at post-swim ping-pong. It’s no wonder that the custodians of Palatinus, the Budapest Spas and Thermal Waters Company (BGYH), were delighted to grant their first ever plaque request, seeing it as a kind of “thank you” to all the regulars who make the place what it is.

More Than Water: A Tradition Starts Here

Memorial plaques aren’t unheard of at Budapest’s classic baths – head over to the Lukács Bath and you’ll see decades’ worth of heartfelt dedications. But for Palatinus, this is the opening line of a new tradition, one that weaves the past, present, and future together under the shade of Margaret Island’s trees.

During the dedication, heartfelt speeches flowed almost as freely as the pool water. Dorottya Keszthelyi, representing the Budapest City Council, quoted from György Győri’s evocative writings about human kindness overcoming all prejudice: to see the gift in everyone, no matter their background, and to live without hate. In a city that has seen its share of tumult, this kind of message feels just right at a spot synonymous with shared joy and community.

For Locals and Tourists Alike

So if you’re wandering Margaret Island and hear a burst of laughter by the pool, or spot a group reminiscing over a weathered bench, you’ll know you’re in the presence of living, watery history. The plaque is more than just words on a bench – it’s a tribute to the generations who’ve found happiness at Palatinus, a place that continues to bring Budapest’s people (and now, lucky visitors like you) together summer after summer.

So next time you dip your toes in Palatinus’ pools, take a stroll past the Margaréta pool bench and check out the new plaque. Who knows – maybe you’ll be inspired to start your own family tradition…and maybe, decades from now, there’ll be a plaque for your epic poolside table tennis championship too!