Neglect mars Gellért Hill: Residents point fingers at FŐKERT

Signs of neglect are evident everywhere on Budapest's Gellért Hill, a site of significant cultural, historical, and natural value. Once a prime destination for locals and tourists, the hill has increasingly become a symbol of neglect and indifference. The lack of maintenance, general untidiness, littering, and vandalism have become daily occurrences, creating serious aesthetic, tourism, and public hygiene problems.

The staircases and walkways leading up the hill are cracked, broken, and hazardous in many places. Railings are rusted or missing entirely, and most benches are worn out, broken, or covered in graffiti. The surrounding green areas are overgrown and littered with discarded trash and cigarette butts. This state of disrepair is visible from all approaches, whether by car from Hegyalja Road, on foot from Szent Gellért Square, or for families hiking from Tabán.

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A közvilágítás a néhány főbb útvonalon sem működik megfelelően, ami a főváros esti panorámáját megtekinteni kívánók számára nemcsak kellemetlen, hanem közbiztonsági szempontból is aggályos.

The abundance of graffiti is particularly striking and disturbing, covering walls, stone steps, viewpoints, and even historical plaques. Some information boards are illegible or incomplete, obscured by makeshift stickers and paint stains. The hill's most beautiful panoramic views are marred by the appearance of a dilapidated, neglected public park.

Furthermore, the public lighting functions poorly even on the main routes, creating not only an unpleasant experience for those wishing to view the city's nighttime panorama but also raising public safety concerns. The deteriorating condition of Gellért Hill disappoints not only foreign tourists but also Budapest residents, diminishing the appeal of a place many visit when the weather is good. The national chief architect, Regő Lánszki, has also noted the hill's sorry state, emphasizing the need for significant improvements in traffic management, green space maintenance, and overall services following the renovation of the nearby Citadella.

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A felújítást követően kiemelt figyelmet kell fordítani a Citadella környezetében és a teljes Gellért-hegyen tapasztalható méltatlan állapotokra.