Gerle János: Palaces of Money - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1994)

The Inner City Savings Bank

The furnishings, now destroyed, of the savings bank were designed by Frigyes Spiegel

This bank building can be regarded as an exception on account of its bizarre style. It was erected at the corner of Kígyó utca and Koronaherceg (Petőfi Sándor) utca between 1909 and 1913. Its designer, Henrik Schmal, was a former associate of Ybl. His pseudo-historical buildings, which feature an abundance of Moorish and Islamic motifs, played a significant part in giving Budapest an oriental touch. This one, his last large-scale work, also preserves such an atmosphere. The building, commonly known as the Parisian Arcade, simultaneously evokes the style of Venetian Gothic, the idiom of Lechner’s forms and the architecture of Islam. Its ceramic facing, mosaics, staircases and, above all, the fantastic crystal dome covering the interior passage- court are famous tourist attractions.

CJnfortunately nothing survives of the contemporary furnishing of the cashier’s hall, which was made to plans by the architect Frigyes Spiegel in the workshop of his Maison Moderne arts and crafts shop. Due to its sales and production methods, this shop can be regarded as the birthplace of a Hungarian design that can match international standards.

in the semi-circular fields of the gables there are white, pyrogranite reliefs. Binoculars can help make out the allegorical figures and scenes. On the side overlooking Sándor Petőfi utca the Old Man and the Youth bring their money to the archangel Gabriel, who is holding a bee-hive, while the Man and the Woman have a banknote press in their hands.

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