Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

C ASTLE DISTRIC T  61

hunting expedition, meets a
beautiful peasant girl, Ilonka,
who falls in love with him,
but their love is doomed. This
representation shows King
Mátyás disguised as hunter,
standing proudly with his kill.
He is accompanied by his chief
hunter and several hunting
dogs in the central part of the
fountain. Below the left-hand
columns sits Galeotto Marzio,
an Italian court poet, and the
figure of the young Ilonka is The imposing entrance to the tunnel on Clark Ádám tér
below the columns on the right.
In keeping with the romantic elevation depicts Greek gods on The entrance on Clark Ádám
reputation of King Mátyás, a Mount Olympus. The south side tér is flanked by two pairs
new tradition has grown up shows Count Sándor being of Doric columns. The square in
concerning this statue. The knighted, and the north ern front of the tunnel is the city’s
belief is that anyone wishing façade features a 1934 sculpture official centre because of the
to revisit Budapest should of St George by Zsigmond location here of the Zero
throw a coin into the fountain Kisfaludi Strobl. Kilometre Stone, from which all
to ensure their safe return. Sándor Palace functioned as distan ces from Budapest are
the prime minister’s official calculated.
4 Hungarian residence from 1867 to 1944, The tunnel’s western entrance
when it was severely damaged was originally orna mented with
National Gallery in World War II. It has been Egyptian motifs. However, it
Magyar Nemzeti Galéria completely restored and is now was rebuilt with out these
See pp62–3. the official residence of the details after it was damaged in
President of Hungary. World War II.
5 Sándor Palace
Sándor-palota 6 Tunnel 7 Parade Square
Dísz tér
Szent György tér 1–3. Map 1 B5. Alagút
@ 16, 16A, 116. Open only on special Clark Ádám tér. Map 1 C5. Map 1 B5.
occasions. ∑ keh.hu @ 16, 86. @ 16, 16A, 116.
By the top of the cog-wheel The Scottish engineer Adam In the past, Parade Square was
railway stands the grand Clark settled in Hungary a marketplace and a site of
Neo-Classical mansion, Sándor after completing the Chain execution. It is named after the
Palace. It was commissioned Bridge. One of his later military parades that were held
in 1806 by Count Vincent projects, in 1853–7, was here in the 19th century. At the
Sándor from architects Mihály the construction of the northern end of the square is
Pollack and Johann Aman. tunnel that runs right through the Honvéd Monu ment, built in
The bas-reliefs that decorate Castle Hill, from Clark Ádám 1893 by György Zala. It honours
the palace are the work of tér to Krisztinaváros. The and com memorates those
Richárd Török, Miklós Melocco tunnel is 350 m (1,150 ft) who died during the recapture
and Tamás Körössényi. The long, 9 m (30 ft) wide and of Buda from Austria in the
decoration on the western 11 m (36 ft) in height. 1848 revolution.
The two-floor Baroque palace
at No. 3 was the home of the
Batthyány family until 1945.
It was built between 1743
and 1748 by József Giessl,
and, although it has been
frequently remodelled, the
façade remains intact.
A few houses on Parade
Square incorporate medieval
remains. Examples can be seen
at Nos. 4–5 and No. 11, built by
Venerio Ceresola. The former
has seat niches dating from
The western elevation of the Neo-Classical Sándor Palace the 13th century.

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