At the end of the 19th century, the capital of Hungary, the city of Buda, merged with Óbuda and Pest into a single city - Budapest. The Danube became the central axis of the new city; many significant architectural buildings of the Hungarian capital were oriented towards it. It is also home to one of the largest government buildings in the world - the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest.
Parliament in Budapest. History and Brief Description
Ideas for the construction of this seat of parliament in Budapest arose immediately after the unification of the cities in 1873. The building was erected in 1885-1904 according to the designs of the architect Imre Steindl. The building in the neo-Gothic style has a length of 265 meters, a width of 118 meters and a height of 96 meters along the central dome. On the façade facing the river, the influence of Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance is noticeable. The central main portal of the building faces Lajos Kossuth Square. In its location and architectural style, the building is reminiscent of the famous Palace of Westminster.
The interior design and scope of the premises are also striking. There are more than two hundred halls, 500 rooms, and a dozen courtyards. Among this vast number of rooms, one can highlight a large domed hall, in which receptions and ceremonial meetings of parliament are held. The hall has a diameter of 21 meters. The vault, at a height of 27 meters, is supported by 16 groups of columns. The capitals of these columns contain sculptures of major Hungarian figures. The hall acts as the center of the building, the rest of the rooms are located symmetrically from it.
The premises are decorated with sculptures, frescoes, and paintings made by the best Hungarian artists. There are also tapestries and paintings from Loca, Rudnai, and Munkacsy.
Now tourists are freely taken on excursions to the building of the Hungarian Parliament. The position and grandeur of the building quickly made the parliament a symbol of Budapest and one of the most famous landmarks in Hungary.
The grandiose building of the Hungarian Parliament is best admired from the Buda embankment. From here, the largest building in Hungary opens up in all its glory. During the day, the Parliament seems strict and majestic, and in the evening, when the lights turn on, it turns into a magical golden palace.
The English word "parliament" comes from the French word parler - to speak. This is the name of the highest representative and legislative body in democratic states. This body is called parliament, for example, in Great Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Belgium, in the USA and most Latin American countries it is called congress, in the Russian Federation - the Federal Assembly, in Lithuania and Latvia - the Sejm. In Hungary it is called the “Country Assembly” (Országgyűlés), and the building in which the parliament is located is called the “Country House” (Országháza).
Until the Middle Ages, the Hungarian People's Assembly did not have a permanent building. The medieval chronicler Anonymous in his monumental work “The Acts of the Hungarians” (Gesta Hungarorum) says that the very first meeting dealing with state issues was convened by the leader of the Ugric tribes, Prince Arpad, in the Csongrád region, next to the Gyümölcsény еrdő forest.
Révay Kálmán: Prince Arpad. 1943.
Ferenc Nádasdy Ferenc Múzeum
For centuries, state assemblies were convened from time to time, at the behest of the king, most often in a huge field outside the Pest city wall, in the town of Rákos-mező. During the years of Turkish rule, there could be no talk of a national assembly, but at the beginning of the 19th century, with the advent of the era of reforms, public assemblies began to be held in Pozsony (present-day Bratislava). The first meeting in Buda took place in 1825. This historical event is commemorated on Parliament Street (Országház utca), and there is a commemorative plaque on house No. 28.
Congress hall.
At a meeting of parliament in 1830, the issue of a new building was first raised. Architect Mihai Pollak designed the building in the classicist style, but construction was postponed indefinitely, citing a lack of funds.
The unrealized project of Mihai Pollak.
August von Pettenkofen: Opening ceremony of the Hungarian Parliament, 1848
In 1861, according to the design of Miklós Ibla, a temporary palace building for meetings of members of Parliament was finally built in Pest.
After the conclusion of the Treaty of Equality between Hungary and Austria, Emperor Franz Joseph in December 1880 signed the law on the construction of a new building of the Hungarian Parliament. But building such a representative building is not a quick task!
In 1882, an international design competition was announced, to which 19 works were submitted. It is interesting to note that the Hungarians, having declared the competition international, cheated a little: the announcements were posted only in Hungarian. So the formalities were observed, and there were no foreigners.
Several projects submitted for the competition
(Ferdinand Fellner - Hermann Helmer)
(Schikedenz Albert)
(Forster Emil)
(Hauszmann Alajos)
The winner was the project of a Hungarian architect, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, teacher at the Technical University Imre Steindl. All members of the competition committee were pleased: only two changes were proposed to the project of an impressive eclectic building with a neo-Gothic façade, a Renaissance dome, a lush Baroque interior and neo-Byzantine decorations - it was necessary to add half a floor and change the domes over the meeting rooms of the chambers.
The winning project by Imre Steindl
In his memoirs, Imre Steindl wrote that when working on his main project, he was inspired by impressions of travel abroad, in particular, from a trip to London, where he visited with his teacher, the Viennese architect Friedrich Schmidt, where Steindl was delighted with the Palace of Westminster on the shore Thames. Steindl called the City Hall in Vienna another such building.
In Steindl's workshop during the construction of the Parliament.
Construction began in October 1885. The site allocated for construction was a real dump: construction waste was brought from the rapidly under construction Pest to a field outside the city wall.
First of all, it was necessary to prepare the site for construction.
Construction begins, 1886
1890
The fact that the building is located just a stone's throw from the Danube is, of course, very beautiful, but it significantly complicated the construction. To prevent the construction site from literally sliding into the river, to prevent the huge building from tilting and settling, several thousand larch piles were first driven in, and a layer of concrete was placed on top, reaching five meters in the center of the site!
1891
1892
1894
A separate condition was the use of only Hungarian building materials. For seventeen years in a row, on average, at least a thousand Hungarian workers were employed in construction under the guidance of the most famous Hungarian specialists at that time. The construction took on a grandiose scale and became a good impetus for the development of many branches of Hungarian industry (for example, marble mining, production of electric lamps). To erect a building with a total area of 17,745 m², it was necessary to move 176,000 cubic meters of earth and lay 40 million bricks. The planned construction estimate of 18,500,000 gold crowns was significantly exceeded and ultimately amounted to 37,000,000 crowns. For such an amount at that time it would have been possible to build a city for 40,000 inhabitants!
The building of the Hungarian Parliament is located on the Danube embankment, it is a grandiose structure, the seat of the Hungarian Parliament, the architecture of which intricately intertwines neo-Gothic elements modeled on the Palace of Westminster and the influence of the Parisian Beaux Arts (the Hotel de Ville could serve as a prototype here).
In 1867, Hungary gained independence and could have a separate Parliament. First, in 1880, the country received royal permission to erect a parliament building, and in 1884, after the project was approved, construction work began under the direction of the architect Imre Steindl. The construction of the building was supposed to coincide with the celebration of the millennium of the Hungarians' crossing of the Carpathians, so the Session of the Parliament, called the State Assembly, was first held in the new building in 1896. But the construction was not completed at that time; the finishing work of the Parliament building itself and the design of its interior were fully completed only in 1906.
The Parliament building is the largest in Hungary: it has 691 rooms, 29 staircases and 10 courtyards; the majesty of the Parliament and its architectural appearance were supposed to emphasize the wealth of the Hungarian kingdom. Thousands of builders worked on the construction of the building; more than 40,000,000 bricks were used in the construction, as well as 40 kilograms of gold, which was used in the interior decoration.
The main architectural element is neo-Gothic turrets with high spiers and a massive dome rising between them, the height of which reaches 96 meters. This figure is not accidental; it is identified with the year 896 - an important date for the Magyars, when they managed to conquer the territory of modern Hungary. The Parliament building is characterized by a rectangular shape, the length of its sides is 118 and 268 meters, and the total area of all premises, including corridors, is 18 thousand square meters.
The interior design is dominated by the theme of Hungary gaining independence; the facades of the Parliament building are decorated with statues of the princes of Transylvania and the kings of Hungary, folk heroes and warriors, famous commanders. Opposite you can see a monument to Rákosi Ferenc II riding on horseback, who in the 18th century led the struggle of the people of Hungary against the government of the emperors from the Habsburg dynasty in order to free themselves from the centuries-old yoke. On the other side of the Parliament building there is another sculptural composition, in the center of which there is a statue of another Hungarian hero - Lajos Kossuth - the organizer of the struggle for freedom and independence already in the 19th century, during the revolutionary events of 1848, he managed to rule the state for several months.
The Hungarian Parliament building is not only one of the architectural monuments of Budapest, it is also quite significant from a historical point of view. Its halls, decorated with priceless paintings and frescoes, are a kind of art gallery introducing visitors to the art of the 19th century.
The main relic, the Holy Crown, and other royal regalia are also kept in the same building. According to legend, this crown belonged to King Stephen, it was given by Sylvester II in 1000, and it was with it that the first Hungarian king was crowned. Historians claim that the Holy Crown was made much later - already in the 12th century, so it could not have belonged to St. Stephen, but despite this, the crown is one of the main symbols of Hungarian independence.
Tours of the building of the Hungarian Parliament are held for tourists, including in Russian.
Updated 03/07/2019
The building of the Hungarian Parliament is depicted on almost every second souvenir brought from Budapest. It is one of the most visited attractions in the capital, which you can admire endlessly both from the outside and from the inside. By the way, not a single sightseeing tour of the city can take place without at least a cursory inspection of the Hungarian Parliament.
History of the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest
The building of the Hungarian Parliament was built over 19 years according to the drawings of Imre Steindl, its construction was completed in 1904. It is the longest building in Hungary and one of the largest government residences in all of Europe. The length of the Parliament building is 268 meters, width - 123 meters, and the highest point is at the level 96 meters. The Hungarian Parliament looks truly majestic. Many architectural experts believe that the Hungarian Parliament is very similar in appearance to the Palace of Westminster in London. Whether this is true or not, judge for yourself. I haven’t gotten to London yet, so I haven’t seen the famous Westminster with my own eyes.
On the territory of the Hungarian Parliament there is:
- 10 yards;
- 13 entrances;
- 29 stairs;
- almost 700 halls and offices.
Photo of Parliament - the perfect place for a photo
The main entrance to the Hungarian Parliament building is located on Lajos Kossuth Square (Kossuth Lajos tér), and the most photographed part of it is from the Danube side. Although it is better to examine the parliament in detail and walk around it from all sides. But to see the majestic building in its entirety, and even to fit it into one photo, you will have to cross one of the bridges over the Danube.
The evening illumination and illumination of the building are so professionally designed that many tourists specially come to the observation decks after dark. The brightly illuminated parliament reflected in the waters of the Danube is a truly mesmerizing sight. You will find an equally beautiful picture if you come to Városliget Park at night.
- Thousands of people took part in the construction of the building; 40 million bricks and 40 kilograms of gold were used in its construction.
- The architect of the Hungarian parliament was unable to see his creation in person, as he became blind before the construction was completed.
- From the mid-20th century until the collapse of the USSR, the spire of the Hungarian Parliament building was decorated with a red star, following the example of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin. After Hungary turned to the West, it was removed.
- The main state symbols of Hungary are kept in the domed hall of the parliament. This is the crown of St. Stephen, the scepter, the orb and the sword. The hall itself is decorated with statues of 16 Hungarian kings and rulers.
Tours of the Hungarian Parliament
Tours of the interior of parliament are held every day from 9:45 to 16:00. Two excursions are offered for Russian-speaking tourists: at 12:30 and also at 15:15. Tickets can be purchased in advance online to avoid wasting time in line at the box office and avoiding lack of seats. Here you can find out how many tickets and for which excursion are available on a particular day. After paying the cost of the ticket, you need to print it out immediately. With this e-voucher you can go straight to the entrance and wait for the tour of the Hungarian Parliament to begin.
This is interesting! Two flags hang above the entrance to the Hungarian Parliament building. One - red, white and green - is the flag of Hungary. The second is blue - the flag of the Székely region. This is an unrecognized national-territorial autonomy on the territory of Romania. The Székelys lived and still live in Transylvania, which until 1920 was part of Hungary.
Entrance fee
- For adults (non-EU citizens) – 5,200 forints;
- for students (from 6 to 24 years old) – 2,600 forints;
- for children under 6 years old – free;
- for EU citizens - 2,000 forints;
- for students from EU countries - 1,000 forints.
You will also be charged an electronic fee of 220 forints per ticket.
Useful information about the Hungarian Parliament
Official site: parliament.hu(there is a version in English).
Opening hours for visitors
Monday - Friday - from 08:00 to 18:00
Saturday-Sunday – from 08:00 to 16:00
Monday - Sunday - from 08:00 to 16:00
How to get there
You can get to the Hungarian Parliament building by almost all types of public transport in Budapest:
Metro - M2 (station Kossuth Lajos tér).
Bus - No. 15, No. 115 (Kossuth Lajos tér stop here and below).
Tram - No. 2.
Trolleybus - No. 70, No. 78.
There is a wonderful place near the parliament where they cook very tasty food. Read where to eat in Budapest.
Hungarian Parliament on the map
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The building of the Hungarian Parliament is located on the Danube coast and is a grandiose structure. In the country, it represents the most interesting example of architecture, which was built in the neo-Gothic style. But the construction of this structure also had another, historical purpose.
The appearance and appearance of the building should have been associated with the hopes of the Hungarian people, which concerned the creation of their own sovereign kingdom.
Let's take a closer look at the history of its appearance. Hungary was only able to gain independence in 1867 because it left the vast Habsburg empire. But, despite this fact, the country continued to be ruled by the Austrian king, Franz Joseph. The independence of the power consisted only in the fact that it now had the opportunity to have its own, separate Parliament.
Despite this, it was only in 1980 that Hungary was able to obtain permission from the king to build a parliament building. Then the lengthy work began on drawing up, obtaining permission and approving the project. Therefore, construction of the building began only in 1884. The work was supervised by the architect Imre Steindl. A long period of time passed before the Hungarian Parliament building was completed.
The first meeting of the State Assembly was held there for the first time only in 1896. This date was not chosen by chance; it is symbolic for the Hungarians, since this year the celebration of the millennium of a historical event took place - the crossing of the Hungarians through the Carpathians. In the country this is interpreted as finding one’s homeland.
Despite the fact that the premises were handed over, the finishing work in it and the interior design were completely completed only in 1906.
More than a thousand workers worked on the construction of the structure. The construction took about forty million bricks, as well as forty kilograms of high-quality gold, which was used for interior decoration.
The result was a majestic structure and a monumental architectural solution. This fully emphasized the wealth of the country of Hungary, which at that time was at the stage of economic recovery.
The main architectural element of the structure is a system of neo-Gothic turrets with high spiers. Between them rises a massive huge dome about a hundred meters high.
The building of the Hungarian Parliament itself has a rectangular shape, the lengths of its sides are 268 and 118 meters. In the middle of the structure there are about a dozen small internal courtyards. There were 691 rooms and a huge hall inside the premises. The building has a unique number of beautiful staircases - twenty-nine of them. The total area of the parliament premises, including corridors, is eighteen thousand square meters.
The main hall is located directly under the dome. It has neither more nor less - sixteen angles. On the sides are two important rooms from a historical point of view, in which one of the chambers of Parliament could previously sit.
The facades of the building were decorated with statues of kings, princes and kings of the country of Hungary, people's warriors, heroes and famous, brave commanders.
A majestic staircase leads to the central entrance of the room, the sides of which are decorated with bronze lions. And on the territory there are several sculptural compositions glorifying Hungary, the country of heroes, independence fighters and kings
Travel business
Tourists should definitely visit the Hungarian Parliament building.
In addition to the fact that this building is one of the most magnificent architectural monuments of Budapest, it is quite significant from a historical point of view.
In its halls, decorated with frescoes and expensive paintings, there is a kind of art gallery that introduces visitors to the building with the culture of the 19th century.
The main relic of the country, the Holy Crown, and also all the regalia of the royal family are also located and stored here. They have been in the building for more than a century, right under the dome. According to legend, these treasures belonged to Emperor Istvan, which were donated back in 1000 by Sylvester II. It was she who crowned the first king.
Conclusion
It is recommended that travelers visit the Hungarian Parliament building not only during the day, when they can see the inside and enjoy the beauty of the architectural design. Because it combines the best ideas of the Gothic style and new trends of modern culture. At night, the structure is a breathtaking and magnificent sight, illuminated by spotlights.
