Hungarian parliament building during the golden hour by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Hungarian parliament building during the golden hour"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

The Hungarian Parliament Building (Országház) in Budapest is the seat of the Hungarian Parliament, located on the Pest side of the Danube. The House of Representatives holds regular sessions here. Heads of state and other prominent figures are received here by the Hungarian president and ministers.

The building dominates the section of the Korso between Chain Bridge (Széchenyi-Lánchíd) and Margaret Bridge (Margit híd). It symbolises not only Budapest but even the whole of Hungary. Designed by Imre Steindl in 1885, it was completed in 1904. It is among the most beautiful monuments in the world. The two side wings of the neo-Gothic-style structure house the courtrooms.

On the columns under the dome of the parliament are the effigies of the three princes of the House of Habsburg, 9 Hungarian kings and 4 Sevenburg princes. The dome is surrounded by two large and 20 small towers. On the edges, 242 historical statues stand between Gothic pewter and columns. More than 40 kg of gold was used to decorate the banisters, stairs and halls. The halls are decorated with frescoes and statues by artists of the 19th century.

On the north side of the parliament building stood the statue of the first president of the Hungarian republic, Mihály Károlyi. The front of the imposing building faces Kossuth Lajos tér. The wide monumental steps leading to the entrance are flanked by bronze lions. In the square are statues of Lajos Kossuth and Frans II Rákóczi. In the vicinity of the parliament building, there are also many government buildings, in which ministers are seated.

On the other side of the Danube river, the parliament building can be seen in its entirety.