Hungary - Eastern Europe - page 313

The square, like the park beyond it, was laid out for the 1896 Magyar Conquest
millennial celebration. In its center stands the 35m-high (118-ft.) Millennial Column;
arrayed around the base of the column are equestrian statues of Árpád and the six
other Magyar tribal leaders who led the conquest. Behind the column, arrayed along
a colonnade, are 14 heroes of Hungarian history, including King Stephen I, the coun-
try's first Christian king (first on left); King Matthias Corvinus, who presided over
Buda's golden age in the 15th century (sixth from right); and Lajos Kossuth, leader of
the 1848-49 War of Independence (first on right). The statues were restored in 1996
in honor of the 1,100th anniversary of the Magyar Conquest. Kids adore looking at
the equestrian statues, and the square is close to many kid-friendly activities. Two of
Budapest's major museums, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Exhibition Hall, flank
Heroes' Square.
Take the metro to Hósök tere (Yellow line).
Magyar Állami Operaház (Hungarian State Opera House ) Completed
in 1884, the Opera House, on Pest's elegant Andrássy út, is the crowning achievement
of famous Hungarian architect Miklós Ybl. Budapest's most celebrated performance
hall, the opera house boasts a fantastically ornate interior featuring frescoes by two of
the best-known Hungarian artists of the day, Bertalan Székely and Károly Lotz. Both
inside and outside are dozens of statues of such greats as Beethoven, Mozart, Verdi,
Wagner, Smetana, Tchaikovsky, and Monteverdi. Home to both the State Opera and
the State Ballet, the Opera House has a rich and evocative history, which is related on
the guided tours given daily at 3 and 4pm (these can be arranged in English). Well-
known directors of the Opera House have included Gustav Mahler and Ferenc Erkel.
See p. 341 for information on performances. The only way to tour the interior is on
a guided tour, which costs 2,400 Ft ($12/£6.15). The blatant discrimination here is
that if you have the same tour in Hungarian, the price is a mere 500 Ft ($2.50/£1.30).
They claim it is because of the translation, but with the plethora of young language
speakers, this is a weak excuse. After all, travel to other European cities, and most
would condemn this practice.
VI. Andrássy út 22. & 1/331-2550. www.opera.hu. Tour 2,400 Ft ($12/£6.15). Tours given daily at 3 and 4pm (avail-
able in English). Metro: Opera (Yellow line).
Parliament Budapest's great Parliament building, completed in 1902, was built
to the eclectic design of Imre Steindl. It mixes a predominant neo-Gothic style with a
neo-Renaissance dome. Standing proudly on the Danube bank, visible from almost
any riverside vantage point, it has been from the outset one of Budapest's symbols,
though until 1989 a democratically elected government had convened here exactly
once (just after World War II, before the Communist takeover). Built at a time of
extreme optimism and national purpose, the building was self-consciously intended to
be one of the world's great houses of Parliament, and it remains one of the largest state
buildings in Europe. The main cupola is decorated with statues of Hungarian kings.
On either side of the cupola are waiting rooms leading into the respective houses of
Parliament. The members of Parliament are said to gather in these waiting rooms dur-
ing breaks in the session to smoke and chat—note the cigar holders on the side of the
doors. The waiting room on the Senate side (blue carpet) is adorned with statues of
farmers, peasants, tradesmen, and workers. The figures that decorate the waiting room
on the Representatives' side (red carpet) are of sailors, soldiers, and postal officials. The
interior decor is predominantly neo-Gothic. The ceiling frescoes are by Károly Lotz,