The exhibition "Hungarian Designs in Turkey, Unrealized Projects of Hungarian Architects from Late Ottoman to Early Republican Turkey" was opened at Budapest Yunus Emre Institute (YEI).

The event, curated by Dr. Gergö Mate Kovacs and hosted by the Budapest Yunus Emre Institute, was attended by the Ambassador of Budapest, Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu, and many guests.

Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Ambassador Ekşioğlu said that while such exhibition projects show how intertwined the two countries are, they also present a timeline of the work done by German, French and Austrian architects as well as many Hungarian architects in the first period of the Republic of Turkey.

Ekşioğlu congratulated all the scientists who contributed to the exhibition for pioneering such a project and thanked the Tomb of Gül Baba Heritage Protection Foundation, Tungsram Company, and Yunus Emre Institute for their support.

In his speech, Yunus Emre Institute Coordinator Aydoğdu stated that the architects who made the designs in the exhibition pointed to a certain path, that this path shows the cooperation between Hungary and Turkey, that as the Center, they are trying to develop cultural relations between the two countries, and that this exhibition is a good stop within the scope of the 2024 Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year.

WITNESSED THE LAST PERIOD OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND THE FIRST PERIOD OF TURKEY

The exhibition witnessed from the late Ottoman Empire in the 19^th century to Turkey in the first half of the 20th century, a period of significant change in the country's architectural environment.

The exhibition, organized by academics and researchers from Hungary and Turkey with the support of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gül Baba Foundation, Hungarian Cultural Center, Yıldız Technical University, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Turkish Architecture Research Center, and Tungsram Company, hosts a lot of information about the construction of the new capital of the period, Ankara, as well as reveals the role of architecture in the relations between the two countries. 

The timeline of Hungarian architects' designs and projects from 1856 to the present day in various cities of Turkey, including Istanbul and Ankara, includes Jozsef Vago's design for the Turkish Grand National Assembly building, Alfred Bardon and Karoly David's 'Sailing' project submitted for the International Port Visitor Hall project competition in Karaköy, Ferenc Hillinger, the sketch of a residence in Istanbul Bosphorus, the Kavala Hotel project.

The exhibition includes Hungarian Architects as well as Turkish Architects' projects in Hungary in the 20^th century. Within the scope of these projects, the construction of a mosque in Budapest by the Hungarian Government at the beginning of the 20^th century was on the agenda. Within the framework of the demand that the mosque to be built be like the mosques of Istanbul, there is a project prepared by Architect Kemaleddin for the construction of Gül Baba Mosque-Sharif-i near Gül Baba tomb. In addition, the Turkish Pavilion designed by Sedad Hakkı Eldem, the silent ambassador of Turkish Architecture, for the 1931 Budapest Fair and the projects of Zütü Başar and Ekrem Hakkı Ayverdi are also on display.

With the survey prepared for visitors, visitors can vote for the projects that have been presented as projects but not realized, as if they were in an architecture jury.