Page 90 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

88  BUD APEST AREA B Y AREA AROUND P ARLIA MENT  89

6 Gresham Palace gate, it is widely regarded as one w Radisson Blu
Gresham palota of the most splendid examples Béke Hotel
Széchenyi István 5–7. Map 2 D5. of design from the Secession era. Radisson Blu Béke Hotel
Tel (1) 268 60 00. @ 16. v 2. Inside the building, the second Teréz körút 43. Map 2 E3. Tel (1) 889
∑ fourseasons.com/budapest floor of the Kossuth stairway has 39 00. q Oktogon. v 4, 6.
a stained­glass window by Miksa ∑ danubiushotels.com/beke
This Secession palace aroused Róth, featuring a portrait of Lajos
both controversy and praise Kossuth (see p82). This elegant, historic hotel was
from the moment it was built. In 2004 the palace was built in 1896 as an apart ment
One of Budapest’s most restored and reopened as a building, and in 1912 was
distinctive pieces of architecture, Four Seasons Hotel, the second restyled by Béla Málnai as the
it was commissioned by the in central Europe and the first in Hotel Britannia. A mosaic of
London­based Gresham Life Hungary. Visitors are wel come 16th-century general György
Assurance Company from to admire its splendours. The Neo-Renaissance façade of the Drechsler Palace Szondi was added to the façade
Zsigmond Quittner and the at this time.
brothers József and László Vágó, 8 St Stephen’s Operettas were first staged on In 1978 the hotel was
Monument to Ferenc Deák, dating from and completed in 1907. this site in the Orfeum Theatre, taken over by the Radisson
1887, in Széchenyi Square The enormous edifice Basilica designed in the Neo-Baroque style group, which restored the
5 Széchenyi Square enjoys an imposing location Szent István bazilika by the Viennese architects Fellner rich interiors to their former
and Helmer in 1898. In 1922, the
splendour. Notable features
directly opposite the Chain
Széchenyi István tér Bridge. The façade features See pp90–91. US entrepreneur Ben Blumenthal are the fine stained-glass
Map 1 C5. @ 16. v 2. classic Secession motifs redeveloped the building and windows and frescoes by Jenő
(see p87), such as curvilinear 9 Hungarian State opened the Capital Operetta Haranghy in the Szondi Lugas
Széchenyi Square has been forms and organic themes. Opera Theatre, which then specialized Restaurant, which illustrate
known by several different The ornately carved window in the genre. After 1936, this the works of Richard Wagner.
names – Franz Joseph Square, surrounds appear as though Magyar Állami Operaház theatre became the only venue The Romeo and Juliet Conference
Unloading Square and, until they are projecting from the See pp92–3. for operetta in Budapest. Room and the Shakespeare
2011, Roosevelt Square – a title walls, blending seamlessly The theatre presents light Restaurant are named after the
given to it in 1947. It leads into with the architecture. The 0 Drechsler Palace opera by international and murals that decorate them.
the Pest side of the Chain Bridge, bust by Ede Telcs, at the top Hungarian composers, such The Zsolnay Café serves cake
which was designed by English­ of the façade, is of Sir Thomas Drechsler palota as Imre Kálmán, Ferenc Lehár and coffee on porcelain from
man William Tierney Clark and Gresham. The founder of the Miklós Izsó’s sculptures inside the Andrássy út 25. Map 2 E4/5. and Pál Ábrahám. the Pécs factory (see p190).
built by the Scot Adam Clark in Royal Exchange in London, he Hungarian Academy of Sciences q Opera.
1839–49. It was the city’s first came up with Gresham’s Law:
permanent Danube bridge and “bad money drives out good”. 7 Hungarian Formerly the State Ballet
a major feat of engineering. On the ground floor of the Academy of Institute, the Drechsler Palace
At the beginning of the 20th palace there is a T­shaped was originally built as Neo-
century the square was lined arcade, covered by a multi­ Sciences Renaissance apartments for
with hotels, the Diana Baths and coloured glazed roof, which Magyar Tudományos Akadémia the Hungarian Railways
the Lloyd Palace designed by is occupied by shops and a Széchenyi István tér 9. Map 1 C5. Pension Fund in 1883. It was
József Hild. The only building restaurant. The entrance to Tel (1) 411 61 00. @ 16. Academy designed by Gyula Pártos and
from the previous century still the arcade is marked by a and Collection of Art: Open 11am– Ödön Lechner to harmonize
standing today is the Hungarian beautiful wrought­iron gate with 4pm Mon–Fri. Closed Jun–Aug. with the façade of the State
Academy of Sciences. All other peacock motifs. Still the original ∑ mta.hu Opera House (see pp92–3),
buildings were demolished and and is of great architectural
replaced by the Gresham Palace Built in 1862–4, this importance to the area.
and the Bank of Hungary, on Neo­Renaissance building The palace’s name derives
the cor ner of József Attila utca. was designed by the architect from the Drechsler Café, which
There is a statue to Baron Friedrich August Stüler. occupied the ground floor
József Eötvös (1813–71), a Six statues, representing the towards the end of the 19th
reformer of public education, disciplines of knowledge – law, and in the early 20th century.
in front of the InterContinental history, mathematics, sciences,
Budapest. In the centre of the philosophy and linguistics – q Budapest
square are monuments to and the works of Emil Wolf
two politicians with quite and Miklós Izsó, adorn the Operetta Theatre
different ideologies: Count façade. On the Danube side, Budapesti Operettszínház
István Széchenyi (1791–1860), allegories of poetry, astronomy
the leading social and political and archaeology can be seen, Nagymező utca 17. Map 2 E4.
Tel (1) 472 20 30. q Oktogon.
reformer of his age and initiator while the building’s corners v 4, 6, 70. ∑ operettszinhaz.hu
of the Chain Bridge, and Ferenc have statues of renowned
Deák (1803–76), who was thinkers including Newton Budapest has long enjoyed a
instrumental in the Com­ and Descartes. Inside, there good reputation for musical
promise of 1867, which led to Bust of Sir Thomas Gresham on the façade is a library and the Academy’s entertain ment, and its operetta
the Dual Monarchy (see p46). of the Gresham Palace Collection of Art. scene is over 100 years old. Entrance to the Budapest Operetta Theatre on Nagymező utca
For hotels and restaurants see pp264–269 and pp276–285

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