The Parliament of Budapest

The Parliament of Budapest is located on the Danube shore of Pest, and it represents one of the most important symbols of the city.

The structure is characterized by different architectural styles; from Neo-Gothic to Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance. The building is 268 meters long on the east shore of the Danube, and it is 123 meters wide and 96 meters high.

This last feature symbolizes the fact that civil and spiritual power within the city have equal importance; St. Stephen’s Basilica indeed reaches the same height.

The project and the construction works

The Parliament of Budapest was designed in the Nineteenth century in order to underline the Hungarian independence achieved by the Hungarians after the Austro-Hungarian time while the magyar already started giving birth to the Cisleithania.

Costruction works started in 1885 and ended in 1904, under the supervision of the Hungarian architect Imre Steindl who took inspiration from Westminster Parliament in London.

Steindl used baroque and renaissance elements to shape the majestic stairs leading to the dome; the stairs are adorned by majestic tapestry as well as works of art made by Hungarian artists such as Mihály Munkácsy, Károly Lotz, Aladár Kriesch, Zsigmond Vajda, Béla Spányi.

Until 1944, on the north and south side of the dome, the hall was divided into two areas devoted to bicameralism. This system was abandoned, and today there is one single room hosting the Hungarian National Assembly.

Interior features

The building has about 30 entrances and ten courtyards. The Library has more than 500 thousand books and the European Council documentation center. In the central hall there is the Holy Crown of Hungary as well as objects like the sword, the scepter, and the globus cruciger that belonged to the Hungarian sovereigns.

The offices of the Prime Minister, where press conferences and congresses take place, are located on the north side of the building; on the north-east side of the parliament there are the offices of the President of the Chamber, while on the south side of the building there are the offices of the President of the Republic.

Tickets and guided tours

The Parliament of Budapest offers guided tours to dive deep into the historical importance of this place that blends with Neo-Classical, baroque, and renaissance styles.

Tickets can be purchased at the entrance. It is possible to use special discounts and to buy tickets online in order to skip the line at the cashier.

Opening Hours

The Parliament of Budapest is open from Monday to Sunday; tours last about 45 minutes and start at given times.

The structure remains closed on March 15th, August 20th and October 23rd for National Holidays, as well as on January 1st, on Eastern Sunday and Mondays, on May 1st and November 1st.

N.B. Dogs are allowed to visit the Parliament as long as they are on leash.

Getting there

The Parliament of Budapest is located in Pest; it takes approximately 15 minutes walk from the Chain Bridge. It can be reached by tram 2 or by underground, getting off in both cases at Kossuth Lajos tèr station.