Danube Study Path opens

In February 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a call for applications inviting civil organisations to realize their projects connected to the recently concluded Hungarian EU presidency’s priorities, one of which was the Danube Strategy. The aim of the project was to inform and activize young people between 18 and 35. Artopolis Association and VaLyo Group (their name being the contraction of the Hungarian words ’város’ – city and ’folyó’ – river) had planned an innovative project which uses contemporary art in a creative way to interact with local citizens and tourists in Budapest. By taking a walk or a cycling tour with the family along the Danube Study Path over the weekend, one can obtain useful and interesting information about the river while having good fun at the same time. The different stops are ’connection points’ between the city and the river, bringing the Danube – one of the most important natural treasures of Budapest, of Hungary and also of Europe – closer to the people. The Study Path is free to visit until 3rd October.

Did you know that there used to be a swimming pool in front of the Parliament building, where anybody could take a dive into the river?  Or did you know that one of our famous thermal baths was named after a legendary figure in Hungarian history who himself could not even swim? Can you guess which tram line could we travel along by ship as well? Why did woodchucks die out, and how did they return to the waters of Hungary? Where was the Rudolf-quay? Who were the Danube-water vendors? If you are interested in the answers and want to find out more about the hidden treasures and secrets of the city, the Danube Study Path is waiting for you!

A Duna The artists creating the 13 stops of the study path were: István Cséki, Ambrus Fatér, Judit Gelencsér, gg, Gergely Göndöcs, Harmadik Hang Háza (Júlia Bársony, Krisztina Birtalan, Zsolt Büttner, Áron Tesfay, Andrea Kovács), Móni Hudra, Gergely Oravecz, Ola Krupa, Péter Szabó-Lencz, Dávid Varga and Marcella Szilvia Varga. At 3 of the stops there are installations recalling personal emotions and memories in the viewers. At the other 10 locations the organisers have set up info-points resembling traffic signs, which display archive photographs, drawings, cartoons, period documents, facts&figures and stories about the sites and their direct surroundings. We can learn about the fauna and flora of the river, the one-time wooden swimming pools, the Danube legends, the history and architecture of the riverside, and also about the various developments. With the help of a smartphone, we can gather even more information: we have to dowload the special application, which is based on the Layar reality browser but has been desiged directly for this project, read the QR codes on the signs with the smartphone, then we get a map dowloaded onto the phone, which reveals more infos and stories about our current location both in Hungarian and in English and even shows things which only used to be there but cannot be seen anymore.

On the international port on Belgrád Quay, a huge deckchair has been installed, awaiting visitors who would like to have a rest on the way. During opening hours, we can lie down on the ’STÉG’ (meaning port or dock) under the sun or in the shadow of the plants, read a book, play boadrgames or have a pinic. The plans also include various organised programmes such as film screenings and concerts on the ’STÉG’.

The aim of the Danube Study Path is to bring the people of the city closer to the water (or vice versa), both in a physical sense and also mentally. The members of VaLyo Group wanted to share interesting and meaningful information about the Danube in a way that visitors of the locations could imagine what life could have been like a few decades or a century ago in a city crossed by an immense waterflow – but we are also being encouraged to think about our future in close connection with the river, and to recognize the value of the Danube for Hungary as well as for Europe.

A Duna The Danube Study Path offers a pleasant afternoon spent with friends or with the family: take a trip along the 13 stops either on foot or by bike, or visit just some of the sites separately, free of restrictions or entrance fees. There will also be organised guided tours during the summer and autumn for groups, also for free.