In my cultural post #2 I would like to talk about the Hungarian Parliament which is located in Budapest, on the Danube river. Without any exaggeration I can say that the building of the Hungarian parliament ranks among the World’s most uniquely designed and built parliaments in the World. It is my favorite building in Budapest by far, and whenever I go on a walk in the city center I always make sure that my route goes through the Parliament square. By the way, the picture that I am going to attach to this post was taken by me on one of these walks.
Here is a brief but very important history of the Hungarian Parliament and its development from one of the official websites. “The Hungarian parliamentary assemblies had no permanent home for centuries and so a competition was held in the 1880s to find an architect to design the building of the Parliament. The winner was Imre Steindl who designed the massive, neo-Gothic building of the Hungarian Parliament. Construction works began in 1885 and with the involvement of about 1000 people the building was inaugurated in 1896 when Hungary celebrated its 1000th anniversary. The building of the Parliament was fully completed in 1902 and sadly before the date its designer Imre Steindl became blind and died a little after.” (from https://dynamictours.hu/the-hungarian-parliament/)
The Hungarian Parliament is one of the largest parliamentary buildings in the world. Some other important technical details about the building worth keeping in mind are the dimensions. It has a length of 268 meters (879 feet), a width of 118 meters (387 feet), and its dome reaches a height of 96 meters (315 feet). Also, it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, along with the Danube embankments and the Buda Castle. The design of the Parliament mixes together various symbols and historical references, reflecting Hungary’s rich history and cultural heritage which, in my opinion, is one of the most significant parts about it. The building is adorned with statues of historical figures and mythical creatures, contributing to its symbolic importance. The Hungarian Parliament is not only a symbol of national identity and democracy but also serves as the legislative center for Hungary. It houses the offices of the National Assembly, the President of the Republic, and various parliamentary committees. Overall, the Hungarian Parliament Building is not only a political institution but also a cultural and architectural masterpiece that attracts visitors from around the world. That is one of the reasons when one thinks about Budapest, the Parliament’s image comes up… Well, to be honest, same for me!
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