Architectural Diversity in Budapest

In Budapest, historic buildings are coming to life and the city is proud of its historical architecture. The buildings represent epochal diversity: art noveau, historicism, secession and eclecticism.

The showpiece monuments were mostly built after 1873 - the year the cities of Pest, Buda and Óbuda were merged – and they burst with national self-expression. 1896 was the year of Hungary's millennium celebrations, for which Budapest was busy building. The neo-Gothic Fisherman's Bastion was opened in 1896, as was the Museum of Applied Arts. The Parliament, St. Michaels church, St. Stephens Basilica and the chain bridge are architectural masterpieces and must-see as well.

Many buildings were designed with the declared aim of representing and refining Hungarian taste in the decorative arts. For example, the architects Ödön Lechner and Gyula Bartos attached great importance to employing only Hungarian craftsmen to realise their designs. The exuberant ornamentation of the Museum of Applied Arts illustrates the nickname "the Hungarian Gaudí" that Lechner's architecture earned him.

The charm of many buildings is therefore particularly evident in the ridges of the roofs. Colourful tiles make the roofscape of Budapest's city centre a visual experience and appear lively. The facade profiles are also playful and decorated with a wide variety of ashlars and mouldings that grace the buildings.

The affectionate decorations on the ceilings and canopies of many buildings are particularly noteworthy.

After viewing the main architectural highlights, it is always worth it to wander around the different neighbourhoods of Buda and Pest to spot the beautiful decorative and colourful diversity of the facades.

Another speciality is, that many architects were allowed to express themselves in their designs - Zsigmond Quittner, for example, was in love when he designed a luxury residence on the banks of the Danube in Budapest for Gresham Insurance with a beautiful view of the Buda hills. That is the reason why so many hearts appear in the interior decoration of the Art Nouveau building.

Today, the Four Seasons hotel has moved into the Gresham Palace after the building was renovated for 85 million dollars - symbolic of the architectural facelift Budapest has been getting since 1989. Along the way, some old buildings have been renovated and complemented with modern elements, such as the glass whale "Bálna" on the Pest bank of the Danube, where the heritage-protected warehouses are encased in a glass shell and have been brought back to life with restaurants and galleries.

Sadly, a significant part of the buildings in Budapest was destroyed during the Wars of the 20th century and the Hungarian Uprising. However, the city recovered from the destruction and a lot of buildings were saved and today they can be admired again in their old glory.