Update: Tuesday! – When Will Margaret Island Reopen to Visitors in Budapest?

Hey there, folks! If you’ve been wondering when you can stroll through the lush green paradise of Margaret Island in Budapest again, I’ve got some updates for you.

As you might know, the island had to be closed off due to the recent flooding of the Danube river. The good news is that, so far, not a single tree has fallen on Margaret Island because of the high water levels. However, the soil is still pretty soaked, and it needs some time to dry out before it’s safe for visitors to return.

Budapest’s chief landscape architect, Sándor Bardóczi, compared the saturated gravel soil around the trees to a thin porridge. “It’s like trying to stand a spoon in it, but the spoon will just fall over,” he explained. The same thing could happen to the trees if the soil doesn’t have a chance to firm up.

Now, get this – there are around 7,000 trees in the public park area of Margaret Island alone! If one of these massive, multi-ton trees were to topple over, it could be a serious safety hazard. During the flood, the Főkert (Budapest’s horticultural company) workers used sandbags to counterbalance trees that had already tilted to prevent them from completely uprooting.

So, when can we expect to picnic under those leafy canopies again? Well, Mayor Gergely Karácsony shared on Facebook that a recommendation for reopening Margaret Island is expected in the second half of next week. The Főkert is currently assessing the condition of the trees until next Wednesday to determine if any shifts, tilts, or soil cracks have made them dangerous.

They’re also surveying the state of the soil simultaneously. Around 30-40 trees in higher, drier areas have already had their sandbag counterweights removed, but about 100 more trees will keep their supports until the inspections are concluded.

Once the experts give the all-clear, likely later next week, Margaret Island will be ready to welcome nature lovers once more. In the meantime, the Főkert team will move on to assess the Hajógyári Island next.

So, hang tight, Budapest! With a little patience and a lot of hard work from the city’s dedicated staff, we’ll all be enjoying the tranquil beauty of Margaret Island again very soon.

3 October, 2024

Due to the heavy rainfall during the last few days Margaret island might remain closed for the time being. Weather forecasts predict more precipitation in the upcoming days, that will hinder the stabilization of the soil of the island. The experts of Budapest’s horticultural company examined the trees and the soil at both Margaret and Hajógyári Islands, and issued a statement today. According to their findings, the area started to dry, but there are still several places where the levels of the inland water is still dangerously high. This may cause trees to fall. The heavy rains of the previous and upcoming days will slow down the drying of the upper layers of the soil further delaying the opening date. They came to the conclusion that for the safety of the visitors it is necessary to keep the island closed for the time being. In case of favorable weather they will conduct another examination on 7th of October to see if the island is safe for visitors.

The experts thank the public for their patience and will surely open the island to visitors when it is completely safe to visit once more.

7 October, 2024

After the recent flood in Budapest, Margaret Island has been closed to the public due to safety concerns. However, the Budapest City Council has announced that the island will reopen on Tuesday, October 8th, at noon.

The closure was necessary to assess the condition of the island’s trees and soil following the flood. The FŐKERT (Budapest Parks and Public Spaces Maintenance Company) experts found that while the tree stock was in relatively good condition with only minimal damage, the soil conditions were not stable enough to ensure public safety. Some areas of the island had dried out, while others, particularly in lower-lying areas, had only dried on the surface. There were concerns that the varying levels of soil saturation could lead to shifts in the soil layers, potentially causing trees to become uprooted.

Despite the gradual recession of groundwater and soil drying, the rainy weather towards the end of last week slowed this process. The additional weight of the branches and foliage due to the rain, combined with the wind, increased the risk of trees becoming dislodged. As a result, further inspections were carried out on Monday before the decision to reopen was made.

Mayor Gergely Karácsony announced the reopening on his Facebook page, explaining that the delay in reopening was due to the increased risk of tree falls caused by the high groundwater levels and heavy rainfall following the flood. FŐKERT employees had to protect 150 endangered trees by using sandbags to counterbalance the increased tilting angle caused by the saturated soil. The situation is now deemed safe, and the last sandbags will be removed from the island by Tuesday morning.

Margaret Island will once again be open to the public from Tuesday, October 8th, at noon, following a thorough assessment of the island’s safety by experts.

Image source: Főkert