Hungarian Parliament Tours & Tickets

Hungarian Parliament, commissioned in 1885 in Budapest, was the symbol of the Hungarian aspirations toward independence from Austria. Albeit part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire since 1867, poor Hungary was tied to the wealthy Austrian Empire long before the formal unification. As the lower and middle Hungarian classes rose to prominence thanks to trade and the advancement of technology, their influence also increased. That resulted in their ability to make their own constitution and commission the parliament. Construction of the parliament began in 1885 according to the designs of Imre Steindl, who took British Houses of Parliament as an inspiration. The monumental venue was completed in 1902, remaining the largest Hungarian building ever since.

Featuring neo-Gothic architecture and Renaissance and Baroque details, the Hungarian Parliament stands at the bank of the Danube River in Pest. Dominated by slender spires and ornate decoration, the Budapest Parliament houses Hungarian crown jewels and crown in the Cupola Hall beneath the imposing dome. Statues of celebrated Hungarians decorate the most important hall of the parliament, too. Monumental stairway, featuring Corinthian columns, Byzantine elements and Renaissance details, is another highlight of the majestic structure.

Ranked as the second top attraction of Budapest on TripAdvisor, the Parliament of Hungary has an average rate of 4.5 by almost 36,500 reviews. The majority of the reviewers describe the landmark as incredible both during the day and night. Guided tours of the parliament building are available, introducing its highlights. In recent years, around 600,000 travelers visit the Budapest Parliament every year.

1. Parliament of Hungary is one of the few largest parliament buildings throughout the world. The proportions of the immense structure are 268 x 118 x 96 meters (length x width x height).
2. Renaissance dome is the tallest (96 meters) and most dominant feature of the landmark.
3. The monumental stairway inside the structure has 96 stairs.
4. Although incomplete, the Parliament was inaugurated in 1896, marking the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian settlement of the area. That's why the number 96 had a great symbolism during the construction of the venue.
5. The main architect of the parliament building didn't get to see his masterpiece completed. Before he died in 1902, in the very year when the structure was completed, he went blind.
6. Hungarian crown dates back to 1,000 AD. Then, it was presented to Saint Stephen, the last Hungarian prince who became the first Hungarian king.
7. According to certain data, the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) in London was an inspiration for the designs of the Budapest Parliament. If you take a look at the building from the other side of the Danube (from Buda), you may notice similarities.
8. Hanigan Parliament requires almost constant reconstruction, which makes it very expensive for maintaining.
9. Soft limestone used to dominate the exterior of the parliament in the first decades of the landmark's existence. However, it was easy to damage, which led to its substitution by hard limestone after WWII.
10. Hard limestone, on the other hand, is susceptible to pollution, achieving grey coloring. Because of this and other reasons, maintaining the Parliament of Hungary is an ongoing and costly work, rendering the parliament the most expensive structure for maintenance in Hungary.
11. One of the most turbulent events that took place at the Budapest Parliament was the uprising against the oppressive Soviet regime in 1956. The Soviets opened fire, killing many rebels in the process.
12. Some sections of the exterior still feature bullet scars as a reminder of the Soviet tyranny.
13. Hungarian Parliament has 365 towers and 242 sculptures, of which 88 decorate the interior.
14. The total weight of the golden leaves ornamenting the parliament weighs 40 kg.
15. Walking every stairway inside the Budapest Parliament would be quite a treck. Their total length is around 20 kilometers.