Angyal István Park, on the traffic-trams-metro corner of District IX’s Üllői út and Ferenc körút, was hardly a spot to sit around and rest in, despite being just metres from the architecturally splendid Museum of Applied Arts.
Now the park has been refurbished with the support of the Municipality of Budapest and under the Swedish Sustainability Program, supported by the Swedish Embassy, Business 
Sweden and Swedish companies operating in Hungary.
Angyal István Park has become a “modern social place” with free internet coverage. The reconstruction was to create a biodiverse, sustainable park. To enrich the ecological and visual diversity of the city landscape, almost 20 domestic, drought-tolerant and city-proof plants with energy-efficient maintenance have been planted.
A paper-plane installation is a memorial to István Angyal, a hero of the 1956 Uprising. The plane displays a few lines from his last letter to a friend.
A Wi-Fi hotspot has been installed to allow anybody with a suitable device – such as a smartphone or tablet – to use the internet for free. Easy-to-understand information signs help those getting acquainted with the world of hi-tech.
Anna Boda, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Sweden in Budapest, said: “I am especially happy to see that this park has been refurbished in the spirit of sustainability, thanks to the unique cooperation between the Hungarian and the Swedish state and private companies. This is another extraordinary step towards a greener and more sustainable urban lifestyle.”
Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Embassy
of Sweden in Budapest Anna Boda and Deputy Mayor
of Budapest
Dr. Gábor Bagdy
Deputy Mayor of Budapest Dr. Gábor Bagdy said: “The management of the city has created a vision of a city that is as green, friendly, and beautiful as can be. It is important to us to make sure that the people living here and foreigners alike see Budapest as a city sizzling with social life and developing dynamically. I hope that the renovation of Angyal István Park is another step in this direction.”
The main goal of the Swedish Sustainability Program is the dissemination of an environmentally conscious way of life and thinking, and the establishment of a sustainable urban environment. The first result of the cooperation was the first eco-playground in Hungary, on Margaret Island, in 2011. The following year, the walk and park at the Buda end of Chain Bridge were renovated, and now a self-service bicycle repair station, and an information and meeting point await those riding bicycles at the northern corner of Vérmező, the large park area outside Déli rail station.
The major partners of the Swedish Sustainability Program are Electrolux, Ericsson, Saab and Sigma Technology. Additional partners are HAGS, Metropol, Skanska and Volvo Autó Hungária.
Swedish-Hungarian Smart Forum: www.shsmartforum.hu
