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Home , Budapest, Imre Steindl, Kossuth Square

Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) 6 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN BUILDING TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

10 Introduction

13 AT FIRST GLANCE 15 Dimensions

18 Function

21 Style

23 Ornamentation

26 Order

31 HOW IT WAS BUILT 32 The Plot

34 The Decision and the Tender

39 , DESIGNER, and builder

45 The Construction

51 A traditional Building with Modern Technology

57 THE PART OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 59 A Main Entrance Rarely Used

63 Stairways, lifts and Corridors

67 The Dome Hall and the Holy Crown

69 The Holy Crown

71 The Two Lounges

72 Gallery of Crafts

75 The Two Chambers

83 IN THE TEMPEST OF HISTORY 85 The Birth and Tribulations of the painting of

‘The Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin’

7 89 A Lesson in History in Twenty-Four Pictures

94 THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING’S RESIDENTS

96 During and after the Siege of

99 THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING after 1945

100 1956 by the PARLIAMENT BUILDING and the Square

105 BEHIND CLOSED DOORS 107 Endless Corridors Adorned by Miksa Róth’s Windows

110 Thék and Jungfer, the Two ‘Master Craftsmen’ Industrialists

113 The Hunter’s Hall and its Painters

115 The Crown Guards

117 The Parliament Guards

118 Caretakers of the PARLIAMENT BUILDING

121 TRADITION AND INNOVATION 122 Lipótváros, Parliament

125 The Statues on the Square Before 1945

131 The square After 1945

139 The Parliamentary

143 Exhibition Spaces at the Museum of the National Assembly

147 Square statue minipaedia

148 APPENDIX 150 Photo Credits by Page

152 FURTHER READING IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN HUNGARIAN

8 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING TABLE OF CONTENTS 9 Introduction

nyone seeing the Hungarian Parliament The last third of the 19th century was a unique Abuilding for the first time will undoubt- period of tranquillity in ’s turbu- edly be amazed. Children are generally lent history. The independence lost centuries attracted by the building’s ‘fairytale’ charac- before seemed to be within reach again. Under ter, while adults are fascinated by its sheer the umbrella of the Habsburg Empire, in the scale. This huge, unique, ornate building was shade of the authority of a long-reigning king, designed by Imre Steindl (1839-1902) as a wor- Franz Joseph I (1848-1916), Hungary underwent thy expression of Hungarian statehood. significant development. In 1867, the dynasty The capital of Hungary was established reached a compromise with Hungary, which in 1873 with the unification of three settle- had resisted the Austrians until that time; as ments – Pest, and Óbuda. The founding a result the Austro-Hungarian Empire was fathers’ aim was to build a new, modern capital established and lasted until 1918. One part of city for Hungary that would have few rivals. It the confederation was formed by the Austrian was in the interests of both the developing city Empire, and the other by the Kingdom of Hun- and the country to have a large-scale Parlia- gary. In 1892, Budapest gained the status of ment building constructed. , alongside .

10 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING Introduction The view of the is dominated by the Parliament’s skyline

There are several buildings in Budapest that The building was constructed for what was then look much older than their actual age. All of the bicameral Parliament of a much larger coun- these buildings – the Basilica, , try than modern-day Hungary. Its huge presence the Fisherman’s Bastion, the old Royal Pal- provided a comforting sight for the residents of ace, and in the Hungary, a nation that lost , with the (Városliget) – were built in a unique golden country reduced to a third of its size following the era, when a city was built that filled even the (1920). From 1945 the National poorest inhabi­tants of the city with pride. Hun- Assembly became unicameral, and as Parlia- gary’s capital city attempted to compensate for ment reduced in size, other high public the grand buildings destroyed or never built moved to the Parliament building. In 1950, dur- during its glorious and difficult history – if you ing the Communist dictatorship, an illuminated will, its own Notre-Dame, St. Peter’s Basilica red star was attached to the top of the dome. In and Hradcˇany. The Parliament building is an 1989, the Republic of Hungary was proclaimed esteemed ‘imprint’ of this effort. and the star was removed from the building. The change in the political system brought freedom and independence for the country, and the Par- liament building was again used in accordance with its original purpose from then on. The love and admiration of for the Hungarian Parliament building has remained undiminished over the years, free from the influence of histori- cal feuds or daily politics.

11 14 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING AT FIRST GLANCE Dimensions

he figures quoted by the guides regarding numerals), 29 staircases and originally 13 lifts. Tthe sheer scale of the Parliament build- On the exterior of the building there are 90 ing are likely to astonish visitors who go on a statues, with a further 152 inside the build- tour of the building: it is 265 metres long, 123 ing. In addition, there are lots of gargoyles and metres wide, and a maximum of 96 metres other monstrous shapes visible on the roof. high measured from pavement level. The length of the red carpets placed in the hall- The floor area of the building (with a total ways and on the stairs is about 3.5 kilometres. of ten courtyards) is 17,745 square metres and it is 473,000 cubic metres in volume. It has 27 entrances (traditionally marked by Roman

15 The PARLIAMENT BUILDING from Castle Hill

16 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING AT FIRST GLANCE The Parliament There were a number of reasons why the ‘home’ Representatives had 438 members, while the building is so tall of Hungarian legislation was conceived to be Chamber of Peers had 290. There were also that from the top of the dome almost so monumental by its designer. On the one a large number of staff to support them and the whole city can hand, the scale of the building was intended run the building. Originally, the building had a be seen as a demonstration of wealth; and on the other total of 691 rooms. Since then, there have been hand, the Parliament building had to be every many changes, during which the number of bit as impressive as the Royal on the rooms has increased quite significantly, how- Buda side, and with other Parliament build- ever the plan is to convert spaces back to their ings in . During the design phase, Buda original state. Castle was much smaller than it is today, and The Hungarian Parliament building is con- the decision to extend it to its current size was sidered one of the world’s largest public build- only taken when the Parliament building was ings and has four levels, which are traditionally already well under construction. called the basement, ground floor, mezzanine The impressive size of the Parliament and main floor. During the tour, visitors can building was also necessary because of the only view certain parts of the main floor, but large number of representatives. Until 1944, this book allows the reader a glimpse of the the National Assembly had two chambers, other levels as well. namely the Chamber of Representatives and the Chamber of Peers. During the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Chamber of

17 Function

decoration Function

Today’s architecture addition to wanting to impress the world Since 1 January 2000, the Hungarian corona- can no longer afford with its splendour and ornaments, the tion regalia (the Holy Crown, the sceptre, the such extravagance: In functional elements Parliament building was, after all, built to orb and the coronation sword) have also been now take precedence perform a specific function. Three of its most kept in the Dome Hall. over decorative details important sections can be clearly seen, even Hungary has had a unicameral (single-cham- from a distance, between its turrets and but­ ber) Parliament since December 1944. For three tresses.­ years after the end of World War II, parliamen- The northern wing was designed for the tary life was vigorous, but the Chamber of Peers Chamber of Peers and the southern wing for the was not revived. This marked the beginning of Chamber of Representatives. Both sections con- the ‘expropriation’ of the Parliament building for sist of chambers, lounges, and numerous other other than legislative purposes, both the facilities, all connected to one another by long of the Prime Minister and the Head of State were corridors. severly damaged by the . Dur- The ornate room located beneath the dome ing the Communist regime between 1949 and rising high in the middle serves as the main 1990 – which represented a fundamental belief venue for celebrations and events even now, in the power of , rather than in the principle but in the past, when the National Assembly of separation of powers – the National Assembly functioned with two separate chambers, the met for only a few days a year. joint sessions of the two Chambers were also held there. The very first session took place at the time of the 1896 millennium – when Hun- gary celebrated its 1,000th anniversary – in the then half-finished building.

18 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING AT FIRST GLANCE Tourism was part of of the Parliament sentatives; later, in 1952, it was made publicly building to varying degrees, but never entirely available and since then it has been functioning went away. Even a museum was established as an open library, with anyone over 18 entitled there in 1929, although it closed down in 1949. to register as a member. The museum was reopened in 2014 (with new The building also functions as a venue for exhibits); the permanent exhibition, present- state functions, independent from parliamen- ing the history of the National Assemblies, can tary sessions. Traditionally, the most important be viewed in the northern part of Kossuth Lajos Hungarian state awards are bestowed in the Square, below the surface of the square. The Parliament building, and it is also where foreign museum also hosts an exhibition explaining heads of state and government are received as the history of the building, as well as the lapi- guests. darium and the 1956 memorial, opened in the Every year there is a program called Christ- former ventilation tunnels. mas for Children in the Parliament building, at The establishment of the Parliamentary which disadvantaged primary school children Library in the Parliament building was included are hosted by the Speaker for an entire day. in the initial plans. The establishment of the Of course, the basic function of the Parlia- library, to assist with legislative work, was ment building is to serve as a home for the leg- decided by the Chamber of Representatives at islature, and this concept heavily dominates the the end of the 1860s. Initially, it was hosted in building’s external appearance. the Hungarian National Museum. From 1873, it was maintained in the temporary building of the old Chamber of Representatives, and was only moved to its final location, the new Parlia- ment building, in 1902. Originally it was a closed collection and research unit serving the repre-

19 20 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING AT FIRST GLANCE Style

th Gargoyles and he Parliament building was built in a Gothic In the mid-19 century, the demand for the ‘monkey dogs’ Revival style. This once fashionable archi- ‘reconstruction’ of old styles emerged through- on the south T tower tectural style arose from a reborn of elements out Europe. The ruling elites were torn into of the medieval Gothic style. Gothic architec- two factions in many places: a fault line ran ture appeared in in the 12th century and between those who considered the (neo) from there it spread to England and Gothic style to be the real, ‘eternal’ style and and then throughout Europe. there were those who preferred the (neo) Gothic buildings are easy to recognise: they Renaissance style. In England, a great victory have lancet windows, all of their elements of the ‘Gothic’ faction was that the new Parlia- point to the sky, and the top parts of build- ment building was built in neo-Gothic style on ings are decorated with towers and pinnacles. a bank of the River Thames. From the outside, there are almost always but- tresses supporting the . The windows are frequently ornamented by plate tracery. The arches are very diverse and decorated in a vari- ety of ways.

21 The Hungarian Parliament building was built Elements that are typical of Gothic style can the architect in neo-Gothic style, probably as a result of the be seen mostly in the ornamentation and the was well versed in gothic style quiet, effective lobbying of former Prime Min- main walls, which have a very strong vertical ister Count Gyula Andrássy (1823-1890), who emphasis. The walls are supported by vertical spent a long time in exile in England. At first bays after every other window; these mainly glance, seen close, the Parliament building – have a decorative function, since the with its many buttresses, gargoyles, larger and would clearly still stand firm without them. smaller towers, lancet windows and numerous decorative sculptures – is a typical neo-Gothic building. However, it fails to meet some of the basic features of the Gothic style, primar- ily because it is a long, stretched-out building rather than one that soars upward. It also has a dome, which is a form rarely used in Gothic style, but was widespread in the Baroque style.

22 THE REMARKABLE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING AT FIRST GLANCE Ornamentation

The interior and he lavish ornamental tendencies of the Next to the dome, on the banks of the Danube, exterior dome Gothic style can also be seen in the parts there are richly shaped stone towers to be seen section T (the upper dome of the Parliament building not visible from the on each side, left and right. In every other part space is marked outside. This practice is very much in line with of the building, limestone only serves as a fac- in red) the original, medieval Gothic style, where tra- ing material, covering the brick walls, but the ditionally, the concealed half of stone elements, towers – the most complex forms of the entire i.e. the part no one could see, was also carved. facade – are made entirely of stone. What is apparent even at a distance is a From the river it is clearly visible that right gigantic ornament: the dome. However, this is up to the top of the building, the two towers not the surface that can be seen when stand- closely follow the structure of the basement, ing in the middle of the Dome Hall looking up, the ground floor, the mezzanine and the main but only an ornament, an outer shell, which floor, although in the case of the latter there keeps the appearance of the building in pro- is no loggia, but instead windows decorated by portion. balconies on three sides of the building. The buttresses found at the foot of the octagonal towers have no static role but serve as sup- for the slender pinnacles. On the turrets there are stone figures holding small metal flags.

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