Count's luxury on the Pest pavement: how the pride of Józsefváros (Budapest's 8th District) became a regular haunt for students and digital nomads A neo-baroque ballroom, a dark academia atmosphere and a day ticket for 1,700 HUF: the Szabó Ervin Library, housed in the Wenckheim-palotа, has become the favourite regular haunt of the capital's students and digital nomads. There are few places in Budapest where you can prepare for a microeconomics exam, use the wifi and drink coffee beneath the gilded wood carvings of a 19th-century count's ballroom, all at once. Correction: the lead should read "Wenckheim-palota" as it is a proper name; here is the final version. Count's luxury on the Pest pavement: how the pride of Józsefváros (Budapest's 8th District) became a regular haunt for students and digital nomads

There are few places in Budapest where you can prepare for a microeconomics exam, use the wifi and drink coffee beneath the gilded wood carvings of a 19th-century count’s ballroom, all at once. The former Wenckheim-palota, next to Kálvin tér in the heart of the 8th District, is home to the Central Library of the Fővárosi Szabó Ervin Könyvtár (FSZEK), and it offers exactly this neo-baroque setting, at a surprisingly affordable price. The historic reading rooms on the fourth floor of this venerable building, regarded as an architectural jewel of the Palotanegyed, include the famous Sárga and Dohányzó salons. In recent years they have become a true aesthetic reference point among the capital’s young people. The institution is popular not only for its classic dark academia atmosphere: behind the walls in Józsefváros is the hub of a modern library network of more than 13,000 square metres, which supplements its traditional functions with innovative digital services.

But how much does membership of the palace cost?

Although the interiors might make you think of an exclusive club membership, FSZEK’s official fees are geared towards the wallets of the wider public. Anyone who only wants to admire the palace wing, take photos, or read on site and use the wifi can enter the building with a day ticket of 1,700 forint (HUF). If we also want to borrow books, an annual pass for the Central Library costs 8,400 HUF, while if we want to visit all of the capital’s branch libraries, the combined annual pass costs 12,000 HUF. Under the local discount system, students under 25 and pensioners under 70 are entitled to a 50 per cent discount. There is also good news for locals: employees of the 8th District local authority and recipients of social support can also enrol at half price, entry is completely free for Józsefváros residents aged between 62 and 70, while registration is free of charge as of right for those under 16 and over 70.

Digital borrowing and the price of being late

Registered readers have access not only to traditional printed books but also to magazines, audiobooks and even e-books. As a general rule, items can be taken home for 4 weeks, and the deadline can also be conveniently extended from home via FSZEK’s online platform. In the spirit of modernisation, borrowing can now also be done at the self-service machines using a digital barcode downloaded to your own mobile device or the eCard app. It is worth keeping an eye on the deadlines, though, because the system is strict: for overdue loans, a late fee of 70–100 HUF per book per day is charged. Thanks to the ground-floor café and the quiet inner courtyard, the library is an excellent alternative not only for studying but also as a refuge from the bustle of the city centre, although you should be prepared for serious competition for the free tables in the historic rooms on the busiest days of exam periods.