On the site of the Pesti Vigadó, the city walls and the northern rondella once stood, which were demolished in 1789. The Redoute built here—Mihály Pollack’s masterpiece—hosted its first ball in 1833, and soon became Pest’s first concert hall. Performers included Johann Strauss Sr., Ferenc Liszt, Johann Strauss Jr., and Joseph Lanner.

During the 1848 Revolution, the National Defence Committee and the first representative Parliament also convened within the walls of the Redoute. In 1849, the building was shelled and destroyed by Austrian forces, but based on the designs of Frigyes Feszl, the Vigadó opened in 1865, once again becoming one of the city’s most popular cultural centres.