The investment, which includes seating for 1,000 spectators and a 25-meter warm-up pool, was entirely funded by the state.

Deputy state secretary Anita Boros said the new pool would provide another location for Hungarian athletes to train for the Olympics in Rio and the 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.

District XI mayor Tamás Hoffmann said the pool would also be an asset for locals who swim in their free time.

Construction of the Tüske, or “spike”, sports hall, so named for its distinctive appearance, began in 1993 but was halted in 1996. The building stood empty until 2012, when the government decided to complete construction. The entire cost of the project, including the swimming pool, came to more than HUF 9 bln.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu - Visit Hungary Matters to sign-up for MTI’s twice-daily newsletter.