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Parliament, Budapest
94 EUROPE

lmre Steindl's rich Neo-Gothic Parliament (Gothic Style,
see p.54) is Hungary's largest building and a s ymbol of
Budapest. Hungarian materials, techniques, and master
craftsmen were used in its construction on the bank of
the Danube River. The building is 880ft (268m) long
and 315 ft (96 m) high. The north wing houses the
One of the pair of lions
offices of Hungary's prime minister, while the south at the main entrance
wing contains those of the president of the R epublic.

PARLIAMENT VASE Fa~a de facing
IMRE STEINDL River Danube
In 19 54, the Herend P orcelain Manufactory
Professor o f architecture at Hungary's T echnical
made the first Parliament Vase. It stood in the
Univers ity, lmre S teindl (1839-1902) won the Dome Hall for ten years and was then moved
competition to design H ungary's Parliament to the H erend Museum. A ne w vase was
The building was intended to symbolize the created in 2000 to mark Hungary's 1,000
country's thriving democracy. S teindl dre w years of statehood. ~ Tapestry Hall
inspiration from C harles Barry and A. W. Pugin's
Neo-Gothic Houses of P arliament in L ondon.
However, for the interna l s paces, including
~ Deputy Council Chamber
the superb Dome Hall, he also used re ferences F ormerly the upper house, this hall is now
from the Baroque (Barcque Style, see p.80) where the National Assembly convenes.
Two paintings by Zsigmond Vajada hang
and Renaissance (Renaissance Style, see p.131)
on either side of the Speaker's lectern.
s tyles as -well. These were especially cormissioned for
the building.
SACRED CROWN OF ST. STEPHEN I
The first Hungarian long, St Stephen I (c 97S-
1 038), received the royal cro'M"I from Pope
Sylvester ll1n the ye<r 1000 The crown became
a symbol of Chnsban1ty and all Hung<rian kings
who followed after Stephen I -were cro'M"Ied
with the sacred diadem. Maf'¥ today believe
that the crown bears little resemblance to the
original crown, because over the centuries it
has been I os t and stolen. Battles and wars have
also been fought for possession of the crown.
At the end of World War II, it was taken to the
US for s afekeeping and re turne d to Hungary
with much fanfare in 1978. T he crown now
resides in Hungary's P arliament.

PARLIAMENT'S STATUES
S urrounding the external fa~ade of the
P arliament building are 90 statues, which
include some of the country's past monarchs, South wing
prime minsters, writers, and revolutionaries.
A statue of the Transylvanian pnnce Ferenc
Rakoczi II (1676-1735), who fought the
Habsburgs for Hungary's freedom, is at the
~ L obby
southern end Nearby is a seated statue of the ~ Gab les Lobbies, the venues for
Hungarian wrrter Jozsef Atbla (1905-37). His political discussions. line
first cdlectioo of poems was pt.bhshed W'len corridors lit by stained-
glass wind<ms.
he was 17 Adom1ng the north wing is the
statue of LaJOs Kossuth (1802-94), who fought
KEY DATES
for Hungary's independence for six months in
1849 before be1ng driven into ex1le. Next to it is 1882 1885 1902 1987
a sta tue of the democratic prime m1 nister and lmre Steindl wins The foundation w ork on the The historic area of
revolutionary Mih~ly ~rolyi (1875-1955). H e the competition for stone is laid along Parliament building Budapest, including the
ruled Hungary for five months in 1919 until he the design of the the Danube Is completed. Parliament building, is
Parliament building. embankment. inscribed as a UNESCO
was forced into exile after the government was
World Heritage Site.
overthrown by the Communists.