No. 40 Király Street, Budapest

Architect: József Hild (1789–1867)
Text: József Vinkó
Photos: Martin Fejér

Completed in 1844 after designs by József Hild, this Revivalist Classicist building had been one of the gems of the Jewish quarter for some 250 years. Then the association named Óvás („Protection”) made history when starting its activities to protect the area by preventing its destruction in 2007. Last August, however, one of the ceilings collapsed and in September the licence to have it pulled down to the ground floor was entered into force on condition that the investor was going to restore the three-storey facade according to the original designs by Hild. As a result, the house at No. 40 Király Street was erased from the map of the capital city.