Rózsa György: The Palace of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

II. The building

II. THE BUILDING At the time of its construction, the Academy's evenly proportioned monumental block with its quadrangle was the most impressive building in one of the most important squares of the capital. The clear arrangement and harmonious division of its facade is still an important element in the townscape of the Danube embankment. This building in Budapest is one of Stüler's masterpieces in which he, a follower of the Classicist Schinkel and the last true representative of 19th century Prussian architecture, blended the elements of Hellenism and the Renaissance of northern Italy. The National Museum of Stockholm, with its narrower and lower projection and side wings with 6-6 axes, puts greater emphasis on the horizontal line. Its surface is much more serene than that of the more representative Budapest palace. In Stockholm, the classicist mass-effect of the building and its historical-style decorative motifs contrast with each other. The width of the main facade facing Roosevelt Square is 58 metres, those of the facades facing Akadémia Street and the Danube are equally 51 metres. The height of the projection is 28 metres, that of the wings 22 metres. The projection containing the building's most important interior having a distinguished function, the Assembly Hall, is quintaxial and three storeys high. Above red marble steps, three of five arches nestle doors which lead into the building. The balustraded open balcony above the arches is accessible through the Assembly Hall. The middle projection is broken up by paired Corinthian columns, which, complying with the height of the Assembly Hall, join two floors together, while on the sides wall pilasters replace the columns. At the time of the palace's construction the columned projection corresponded to the Classicist central section with its columns and tympanum of the Lloyd Palace, which enclosed the Square from the South. The lower section of the shafts of the fluted columns and pillars are adorned with grotesque carvings; the capitals are decorated with half-figures. The coat of arms of Hungary containing the crown is supported by angels floating 11