Ferenc Reitter (born as Franz Reitter, March 1, 1813 in Temesvár, Hungary (now Timișoara, Romania) – December 9, 1874 in Budapest, Hungary)[1] was a Hungarian architect and engineer who is credited with constructing several landmarks in Budapest.

He had a major role in the capital's department of public works during the rebuilding of Budapest during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Its construction was first considered in 1871 and it opened to traffic in 1896 to coincide with the millenarian anniversary of the Magyars' arrival in the Carpathian Basin in 1896.

The canal passed through a suburban district of narrow streets and, at the time, Reitter also considered making the backwater into a navigable canal to improve the air quality and lessen pollution.

However, a solid thoroughfare was agreed upon and its construction took place at the same time as that of Sugár út, latterly Andrássy Avenue.