The "Ruin pubs" of Budapest have emerged onto the city's scene recently, according to USA Today. The pubs blend the new with the old in large spaces that contain forgotten and repurposed items that had been sitting, unused, since the 1940's.
The resurgence of ruin pubs has revitalized the Jewish quarter of Budapest, an area that had been run-down and known for its deserted buildings. After World War II, the area was left as a ghost town. As the population left throughout the 1980's, the area declined further.
The area is now growing and gaining a popular, hipster feel. It has coffeehouses, wine bars and restaurants that exist alongside smaller cafes and bakeries left over from when the area was lively from the Jewish population.
The ruin pubs started out as an organic, grassroots endeavor. Four recent college graduates opened Szimpla Kert, which translates to Simple Garden, in 2001. Their aim was to create an artsy, fun place to grab a drink within an abandoned building in a neighborhood that would want to grow and improve. The bar became popular, and the process of revitalization began.
The bar is large, built inside a former factory and holding a combination of both indoor and outdoor spaces. It has an eclectic decorative style that includes old computer monitors and a claw-foot bathtub that has been sawed in half and spray-painted.
Today, there are about 30 ruin pubs in Budapest, many located close to Szimpla Kert. Some have live music. The patrons range in age from young locals to tourists that range in age. The bars serve local draft brewed beer and many have a limited menu with traditional bar food, such as Hungarian pizza, salads and warm sandwiches.
Some offer free Wi-Fi, though it isn't always reliable, but it doesn't seem to bother anyone, but rather to exist as part of the adventurous ambiance that the ruin pub concept is going for.
Video tour of Szimpla Kert.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
