The concept of a national theatre in Budapest was born at the turn of the 18th-19th century, promoted by influential thinkers including Ferenc Kazinczy and Baron István Széchenyi.

The Hungarian Parliament made the decision to move forward with a national theatre in its 41st article of 1836.

In the following decades, the company was only a tenant of People's Theatre, and the building's state continually deteriorated.

The company transferred to the renovated Petőfi Theatre (today is known as Thália), in Nagymező Street.

After the demolition of the People's Theatre, a proposal was made to build the new theater in the City Park, at Felvonulási Square.

The project resumed again with architect Ferenc Bán being declared the winner, but the newly elected government stopped the work, finding it too costly.

In 1999, ministry commissioner György Schwajda commissioned Mária Siklós to make plans for a building at a new location Essenza,[3] the bank of the Danube.

The new National Theatre is on the bank of the Danube in the Ferencváros district, situated on Soroksári road, Grand Boulevard, and Rákóczi Bridge.

[citation needed] In 2013, Attila Vidnyanszky was appointed to lead the National Theater for a ten-year term, which was subsequently extended until 2028.