Corinthia Hotel Budapest
The Corinthia Hotel Budapest at the Elizabeth Boulevard in Budapest, is a historic luxury hotel. Opened in 1896 as the Grand Hotel Royal, a hub for the elite of 19th century society, the hotel has undergone extensive modification throughout the 20th century, and has in the 21st century been restored and reopened as the Corinthia. Historical background The course of the Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút) was marked out during the 1870s together with Andrássy Avenue, Budapest's most impressive avenue. The road went through a thinly populated part of suburban Budapest, so its development was rather slow, and only a few buildings were constructed in the 1870s. The real development of the Grand Boulevard began once Andrássy Street was completed in 1884. Grand Hotel Royal The Grand Hotel Royal was originally opened for visitors of the Millennium Exhibition in 1896. A joint-stock company, established by the hotel owners, including the chairman Mr. Frigyes Glück and the planner architect Mr. Rezső Ray, had succeeded in purchasing the largest piece of real estate on the developing Grand Boulevard. By this time the Grand Boulevard had become the main artery of the capital city and the hotel rooms enjoyed superb views of this most attractive