Benkő Andrea: A Guide to Petőfi Literary Museum (Budapest, 2009)
The History of the Palace
................................................ ..................................................... THE HISTORY OF THE PALACE I arranged. The ballroom was 'adorned with 2000 wax candles positioned so that they formed various figures. The tables were laden with the choicest of dishes and potables for the official guests to partake of.' (Magyar Kurir, Vienna). The Neoclassical Palace of the Reform Period The neoclassical building as we see it today was built by Count György Károlyi (1802-1877). The widely travelled, open-minded aristocrat was a close friend of István Széchenyi's and Miklós Wesselényi's, and supported their reform policy. He was a founder of the Hungarian Learned Society (Hungarian Academy of Sciences), took an active part in the work of Parliament as a delegate for Szatmár, and in 1848 became Lord Lieutenant of Szatmár County. He associated himself with every issue that served progress and the interest of the country. His moral and financial support assisted the establishment of the Chain Bridge, the National Theatre, the National Conservatory, the Kindergarten, the Hungarian National Agrarian Association and the Arts Union of Pest. The development of horse breeding was his labour of love. On 16th May 1836, György Károlyi married Countess Karolina Zichy. It was probably in tribute to this illustrious event that the first known water-colour of the building was done. In 1837, Carl Vasquez also made a picture of the Palace, as one of the remarkable sights in Pest. With her sister Antónia, who was Count Lajos Batthyány's wife, the Countess was always among the first to espouse the matters of the nation. To promote local industry they wore Hungarian garments
