Artwork of the month – Wrought iron railing at the entrance to ELTE Trefort Ágoston Practice High School
On March 9, 2026, the renovated wrought-iron railing at the entrance of ELTE Trefort Ágoston Practice High School was ceremoniously unveiled. The railing has presumably adorned the entrance since the building was constructed at the end of the 19th century.
In the legendary, approximately 200-year-old blacksmith's workshop on Bródy Sándor Street, under the guidance of blacksmith József Balla, the wrought iron fence underwent a complete renovation. Since car traffic has been banned on the street since August 2025, the railing no longer serves to protect pedestrians, so the restored elements now stand in front of the school entrance as historical monuments. At the inauguration, workshop employee Péter Dezső talked about the history of the workshop and the restoration process. The railing was divided into three parts, with the middle section moved to the exit of the building at 7 Szentkirályi Street and the two outer sections restored in front of the gate to leave a wider, open space for entry and exit. "With proper care, hopefully there will be no need for intervention for another hundred years," emphasized master blacksmith József Balla at the handover ceremony.
New institutional plaques have been placed on either side of the entrance. The plaque on the right was mounted in the place where the glass plaque of the Ságvári Endre Training School stood until the change of regime. Traces of the 1956 series of shots are still visible on the facade today.
Written by Rita Balla and Dorottya Balogh (Zechmeiszter Lászlóné)
Photo: Rita Balla