Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
%
Domed Hall
Thespiritualheartof
thebuilding,theDomed
Hall
(right)
wasonce
usedtohostjointses-
sionsofParliament.The
hallhonours16Hunga-
riankings-eachofthe
16pillarssupportingthe
domefeaturesastatue
ofaleader
(see pp10-
11)
.Today,itisusedfor
oficialceremonies.
3ULPH
0LQLVWHUV
2IILFH
(
Congress Hall
Unusedsince1944,
whenHungarybecamea
unicameralstate,the
formerHungarianUpper
House
(below)
hasarich
interiorwithainepaint-
ingbyZsigmondVajdaof
themonkAstrikhanding
StStephenhiscrown.
)
Prime Minister's
Office
Hungary'sprimeminister
andretainsoficeshere,
butclosedtovisitors.
However,youcanadmire
theirreceptionrooms,
whichhouse1930spaint-
ingsbyGezaUdvaryand
AntalDiosy.
^
National
Assembly Hall
TheHungarianLower
House
(right)
iswhere
theParliamentsits-
takeaseatand
dreamofpower.The
bulletholeabovethe
lecterndatesfrom
1912,whenan
assassinattemptedtokill
thespeaker,IstvánTisza.
Imre Steindl
Beforesubmittinghis
entryforthecompeti-
tiontodesignHungary's
Parliament,ImreSteindl
alsosubmitteddesigns
foraproposedparlia-
mentinBerlin.Hisplans
wererejected,andthe
winningentry,ofcourse,
wasPaulWallot's
Reichstag.Berlin'sloss
wasHungary'sgainas
Steindl'svisionresulted
inamasterpiece.Heis
rememberedbyabust,
castbyAlajosStróbl,on
themainstaircase.
*
The Conquest
Thebuilding'sinest
workofartisMunkácsy's
The
Conquest
.Originally
intendedforthe
ChamberofCommons,it
wasrejectedasitwas
thoughttomisrepresent
theirstcontactbetween
theinvadingMagyarsand
Pannoniantribes-asa
peacefulmeetingrather
thanaheroicconquest.
&
Delegation Room
ArelicoftheDual
Monarchy
(see p70)
,this
waswhereparliamentar-
iansmetdelegatesofthe
ministries.Itswallshave
artworksbyAndorDudits,
whiletheceilingpaintings,
Wisdom
and
Fortitude
,
arebyKárolyLotz.
The limestone used for surfacing the Parliament building began
crumbling soon after it opened, and renovations continue to this day.
