The Nagy Csarnok--Great Market in Budapest

During the 1800’s the city of Budapest began replacing their outdoor markets with covered market halls fashioned after those in Paris. Construction for the Great Market Hall began in 1894, but a fire delayed the opening until 1897. Four similar markets opened in Budapest on the same day. The lighting, refrigeration and design of the Central Market was "cutting edge" for the time period. After Communist neglect, the Central Market was restored and improved between 1991-1994.

A trip to this market is a must when you see the city of Budapest.  Even if you aren't interested in the souvenirs on the second floor (which, by the way, are priced comparatively well), you should walk through this historic inside market to enjoy the culture, sights, smells, and sounds.

This is not simply a tourist location.  It's a place where Hungarians shop for fruits and vegetables, spices, meats, cheeses, and every other type of food product.

The second floor is a large wrap-around loft balcony above the first.  It has booths that sell prepared food like "langos"--a big fried flat piece of dough that is topped with sour cream, cheese, garlic oil or a variety of other things.  Locals as well as tourists have a beer or eat at the stand-up tables overlooking the first floor.   

The second floor also has booths selling Hungarian handicrafts--leather goods, embroidered linens, painted eggs, and touristy things like t-shirts and mugs.

One vendor at the Nagy Csarnok was having fun with a pig with sun glasses when we visited in October 2010.

Occasionally they have a special event in the market such as hand-crafted items in the large center aisle and I got some video of this man playing a hand-made dulcimer.

Ground Floor:
The busiest level is the ground floor where produce, meats, paprika, and other food items are sold by hundreds of independent vendors. The vendors on the far left of the building are said to be the most economical, but they may not have the nicest products.  If you are looking for paprika to take home, you will find less expensive options in the Match market in the basement, or you can buy paprika in more expensive packages on the right side of the market ground floor.

Basement:
In the basement, you’ll find supermarkets, specialty food and beverage shops, and cart vendors selling everything from shoelaces to wooden ladles. The Asian Market on this level is popular for hard to find spices and foreign foods.


Upper Level:
The upper level is for tourists or eaters.  Most of it is filled with vendors featuring Hungarian handicrafts: vases, dishware, embroidery, leather, painted eggs, wooden items. There are also a few Russian vendors with stacking dolls.  Surprisingly, these shops are moderately priced, not the cheapest in town, but less expensive that the shops along the Vaci.

This level also features eateries, mostly fast food counter service with lots of drinking and smoking going on.  You can try the famous Langos here--a large, flat fried bread.  If you don't want it splashed with garlic sauce, let them know.  I like it best with sour cream and cheese.