Locations/Buildings

The University courses take place in three separate buildings, all of which are closely situated consequently the flow of education is not disrupted – moreover each of the three buildings has its historical interest.

MainEducation Building
Vas utca 2/c. Budapest 1088

The Rector’s Office and the Finance and Registry management offices can be found here. The upper floors (IV-VIII.) are reserved for the dormitory. The entrance of the University’s main theatre space the Ódry Stage is in the hall of this building.

It was built from 1942 to 1944 based on the architect Lajos Várady-Szabó’s design originally as the headquarters of the National Alliance of Christian Youth and it housed the Church of Protestant Garrison.

The predecessor of the present establishment (the University) the College of Theatre and Film (Színművészeti Főiskola) took possession of the building in 1951. Ódry Stage was constructed from1957 to1958 in the space of the defunct garrison church.

The Film and Television Main Department Education Building
Szentkirályiutca 32/a Budapest 1088

The Szentkirályi street palace was built for Count Gyula Károlyi’s wife in 1897. By and by, after some modifications the building became the Károly  families favourite dwelling. Count József Károlyi’s wife was hiding Lajos Zilahy (the famous writer) and Albert Szentgyörgyi (the famous physiologist) during the II. World War. The Society for Hungarian-Russian Friendship was operating in the building following the war.

Following an overall reconstruction work in 1971-72 this grand mansion of the upper-middle class built at the turn of the XIX. century was transformed into a space for education. The film department of the College of Theatre and Film (later University) moved into the building in 1975.

The Theatre Main Department Education Building
Rákóczy út 21 Budapest 1088

The URÁNIA building, a characteristic historical landmark of Budapest, was built according the plans of Henrik Schmahl in 1895.

The upper floors (II-VI.) have served the purposes of education for actors, directors that is the profession of theatre from the very beginning. The National Hungarian Royal Academy of Drama operated here later the College of Theatre and Film and now the University of Theatre and Film Arts. To this day the rehearsal rooms and the ones for singing and movement classes of the Theatre Main Department are here.

The building has been re-designed and rebuilt several times.

The richly decorated façade has gone through significant changes over the years.

The original design has been retained mostly by the auditorium of the Uránia movie theatre.

Previously Uránia used to be a nightclub later a theatre and from the beginning of the twenties it became a cinema. The first Hungarian motion picture was screened here.

It is an extra point of interest that the film titled “The Dance” was shot on the roof terrace of the Uránia building.

The present form of the building has been achieved by the reconstruction works of 2000-2002. This was the time when the lower section of the building, the basement, the ground floor and the first floor where the Uránia National Film Theatre is now, has been re-designed and given new functions.