The home of the late Erdélyi Wine Bar - 8 Dalszínház street

 
The apartment house (left), where the Erdélyi Wine Bar (right) operated
Source: mandadb.hu, lasdbudapestet.blogspot.com

The Dalszínház Street was part of Hermina Square in the middle of the 19^th century, but after the planning of Andrássy Road and the construction of the Opera House it was promoted to a separate street. It has born its name since 1879.

  
The apartment house (center and rightmost) peeking out behind the Hungarian State Opera House (leftmost)
Source: fortepan.hu

In 1891, Samu Freiberer handed in modified plans for the multiple-story apartment house on the corner of Dalszínház and Révay streets, which was under construction. However, in 1905, Izidor Sterk architect, commissioned by the Honourable Gyula Böhm, handed in reconstruction plans. In these plans you can clearly see the egg-shaped staircase, with a round room on each side. Today, the spiral of the side stairs is still intact to the right as per the plans, but its symmetrical twin was sectioned off and was used as lavatory.

The years passed, the ground floor of the beautiful, towered corner house was occupied by a café and restaurant of Ignác Spiegel in the beginning of the 1900s, which was so profitable, he eventually took the whole apartment house under his name.

   
Source: lasdbudapestet.blogspot.com

„The world of the young bohemians congregated in the Erdélyi Wine Bar every day at dawn. […] From the wood pavement of the Andrássy Road, carriages, hansom cabs clattered across the stones of Dalszínház street, coming from the Casino de Paris, the Three Ravens,  or just on foot arrived all the artists, writers, journalists, painters and the nabobs of Bácska (the latter ones always dressed in tailcoats with white carnations, surcoats and matted top hats.)” - wrote István Szirmay in his historical deep-dive, which was published in the paper Újság (The Paper – ed.), 14^th May edition, 1933/109.

From the half-circle shaped entrance on the corner through the entrance hall, the guests could leave their canes and top hats in the cloakroom to the right for safekeeping. The L-shaped restaurant had the large dining room towards Dalszínház Street, with the office and storeroom behind it. On the Révay street side, past the bar there was another storeroom, a scullery, a café kitchen, the confectionary and the catering. Inside, the lavatories on the left of the egg-shaped staircase were eventually completely joined with the restaurant. Other separate rooms waited for guests in the back, as well, welcoming them in a longer section with more discreet dining booths.

Unfortunately, this wonderful life came to an end, since in 1930 Náci Spiegel left this world. Even though Gyula Krúdy, Hanna Honthy, Pál Jávor, Ferenc Molnár and so many others enjoyed such fine meals and drinks at his establisment, none of the artists showed up at his funeral!

 
Source: lasdbudapestet.blogspot.com

In 1934, the widowed Mrs. Ignác Spiegel, née Malvin Klein, after the year of mourning, commissioned Gábor Faragó and József Keller designers to create her vision and reconstruct the “Spigli”. The sectioned restaurant with its many rooms became a large, open restaurant on the Dalszínház street side. The cunning Lady Malvin started a new business. The earlier reconstruction certainly took into consideration that in one year the larger apartments of the second floor would be redone into a boarding floor. Ten room had one bathroom, one washroom, two servants’ rooms, lavatories and a smaller kitchen.

The longer, narrower entrance hall grew wider after a few meters then came one or two steps with balustrades. Once this ended with a symbolic little gate, which is only remembered by one small hinge.

   
Source: lasdbudapestet.blogspot.com

The dark, oval shaped staircase has a familiar shape on its terrazzo floor. Then looking up, visitors can feel as if they are standing at the bottom of a well, where it’s cold and dark. They need to get to the top, where the light is shining and the sun is trying to reach down, but the rays are swallowed by the depths. Standing in the center, the egg shape of the spiraling staircase is clearly visible. At the bottom of the stairs, the remains of a bird’s foot can be found, which has four appendages ending in pointy talons. Possibly a huge copper bird has stood guard right on that spot.

  
Source: lasdbudapestet.blogspot.com

The narrow, oval shaped staircase has crimson and off-white coloured walls, which looks quite elegant with the wrought-iron rails. Every floor has an opening to a small curved hallway, which leads to the galleries of the apartments. The doors are securely locked almost everywhere. On the left a grey side staircase can be seen, which is beautiful in its simplicity.

  
Source: lasdbudapestet.blogspot.com

Currently the building is still an apartment house, but you can also find the Royal Diamonds Exclusive Jewelry Shop here.

Source: lasdbudapestet.blogspot.com