Szablyár Péter: Step by step - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2010)

Romanticism larga and small

Romanticism large and small

The Festetics Palace

At the rear of the Hungarian National Museum, the palace completed for György Festetics in 1865 was hidden behind a forest of scaffolding lumber for years. After the historically faithful reconstruction of the building that followed the regime change, it was the Andrássy Gyula - German Speaking University of Budapest that moved onto the premises.

The municipality of Pest wished to have a building erected here fitting into the environment of the National Museum, and it was for that reason that the Count picked on the plot and the architect worthy of the task - Miklós Ybl. Work on the site was overseen by Ignác Wechselmann (1828—1903), Ybl's favourite master builder. The most spectacular element of the building is the staircase hall comprising two storeys. The splendour of the staircase is enhanced by its chandelier, its fine wrought-iron banister as well as the pilasters adding rhythm to the appearance of the upper floor.

■ The elegant Feitetia Palace

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