Budapest is marking its 150 anniversary with a series of performances, concerts and an open-air exhibition, among other events, at the weekend. Budapest was formed on November 17, 1873, with the unification of the towns of Pest, Buda and Óbuda. City Hall is opening its passageway to the public, connecting downtown Károly körút and Városház Street, and it will be the venue of a lightshow after dark on Friday. City Hall’s courtyard and the Merlin Theatre will also be opened up to the public.
Gergely Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest, and one of his deputies, Kata Tüttő, awarded honorary citizenships at a festive assembly on Friday morning. Among the recipients were author and scientist Vilmos Csányi, actor János Gálvölgyi, actor Tamás Jordán, photographer Éva Keleti. The late 1956 revolutionary Imre Mécs was honoured posthumously. The city will hold a gala evening at Vígszínház on Friday evening.