Mátyásföld Villas Budapest

The villas of Mátyásföld are a perfect day trip destination for those architecturally inclined visitors (or locals) who want to stray away form the usual tourist trails and throngs. The area of main interest is easily reachable by HÉV (suburban train) in about ten minutes from the Örs Vezér tér station (take line 8 or 9 and get off at Mátyásföld repülőtér). Once there, all you need to do is walk down Pilóta street and then turn into whichever street seems most exciting. Do remember that the villas, many of which date back to the early 20th Century, are private property, and while owners are aware of their architectural value and do not mind polite visitors, it is still important to keep a respectful distance from the living areas, especially when taking pictures. The most spectacularly decorated villa, currently uninhabited, lies at the corner of Májusfa and Diósy Lajos streets.

Mátyásföld also housed Budapest’s first international airport, which operated from 1916. As civil aviation moved first to Budaörs, then to Ferihegy, the airport in Mátyáshegy remained in use for military purposes and gave rise to many urban legends connected to possible Soviet spies living in the neighbourhood’s fancy villas after the Russian occupation. One definite result of the building of military barracks in the area was the move, brick by brick, of a small Scandinavian-inspired Lutheran church to its current location at Prodám street 13, which is also very worth a visit during a Mátyásföld walk.