The Ludovika Campus and the Orczy park, one of Budapest’s biggest green area were ceremoniously opened by the Hungarian Prime Minister, other high-ranking government and local government officials and the representatives of service branches.
Hungary’s most extensive campus development has created a new university town and the renovation of the Orczy Quarter has improved the quality of life throughout Józsefváros and Budapest. As a result of the uban development project, the green area of the inner city has extended, the air quality has improved, the surrounding area has become safer and Budapest has got more leisure and sport opportunities.
“The National University of Public Service is nowadays using the buildings of the former Royal Hungarian Ludovika Defense Academy, and growing at the same place as its predecessor. Here we keep to the old traditions, we safeguard our heritage” - said Prof. Dr. András Patyi in his opening speech. Following the Rector’s welcome speech, Viktor Orbán, Hungarian Prime Minister, István Tarlós, Mayor of Budapest and Máté Kocsis, Mayor of Józsefváros district have also welcomed the audience and talked about the key role the Campus is fulfilling in this area of Budapest.
After the opening ceremony, the special guests walked through the Ludovika Campus and the renovated parts of the Orczy Gardens, including the new sport facility, the riding-hall and the special educational building of the Faculty of Law Enforcement.
As part of the first stage of the Ludovika Campus project, the university students and staff could take over renovated historical buildings of the former Ludovika Academy with a modern university library along with the new educational and practical training buildings, dormitories, university shooting range, sports hall, indoor swimming pool and outdoor sport grounds. The riding hall was also renovated and new courses have been added to the facility. In the swimming pool a 25 meters long pool with 8 lanes and a 15 meters long pool for warm-up and training purposes are now also available. The facility will be open to the public as well.
The project included the renovation of one of Pest’s biggest green areas as well. The Orczy Gardens now offer playgrounds, outdoor fitness equipments, treadmills, soccer fields, streetballs, roller-coaster courses, banches, drinking fountains and promenades for those who would like to spend their time outside, in a nice green environment.
The investment has provided work opportunities for more than ten thousands of people. During the project, approx. 70 000 m2 of new building was built. Interestingly, the amount of steel used in the constructions would have been enough to build the Statue of Liberty 25 times. The university students can now use the whole university campus, and the park has been opened to the public as well. The urban development project is still ongoing: in the next few years, old and abandoned industrial buildings will be renovated that will serve as new facilities the Institute of Disaster Management and the Faculty of Military Sciences and Officer Training.