Hajós György: Heroes' Square - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2001)

only vegetation is made up of robinias and scanty shrubs, is where we believe to be an ideal spot. This is to be fenced in for the specific purpose of erecting a building to house the fine arts department of the national Millenary exhibition. The building could later be reserved for large international exhibitions.”

At last the board meeting of the municipality held on 10 January 1894 voted for relinquishing, for a thirty-year period and for a rent of one golden forint per annum, an area of 4,000 square metres to be used for the purposes of fine arts exhibitions. The contract was signed by mayor Károly Kammermayer and Loránd Eötvös, minister of religion and culture. Meantime, parliament passed Act XXVI11 of 1894 under which expenses were to be covered by the treasury.

It was a matter of speculation and dispute whether tenders should be invited for designs. In the event they weren’t. The Fine Arts Association commissioned Albert Schickedanz an architect also renowned for his activity as a master of fine arts. He had made designs as early as the time when the preparatory committee was set up. These made provision for the “creation of an exhibition hall according to the principle of three bays upon which the Basilica was built”. That was when Schickedanz formed a partnership with architect Fü- löp Herczog, whose main responsibilities included the technical and financial management of the project. Their

The Exhibition Hall during World War 1

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