The Hungarian Parliament Building is the official home of the National Assembly of Hungary. It is one of the oldest buildings of its kind in all of Europe. It is located in Kossuth Square, which rests on the banks of the Danube. It also happens to be the largest facility of any kind in the country.

In 1890, the country decided to erect this structure as a symbolic gesture of the country’s new found political unity. The Hungarians held an international contest to decide who would be the architect for the new project. That campaign was won by Imre Steindl. Later down the road, this famous architect would also go on to design the Ethnographical Museum and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture complex.

The new Parliament building was finished in 1896, just in time to be inaugurated at the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the founding of the country. Finishing touches were actually completed by 1904. It took over 1000 people to do the construction. In the project, 40 million bricks, 40 kilograms of gold, and 500,000 precious stones and jewels were used the artful design of this place.

The Holy Crown of Hungary is kept here. The Parliament Building is done in Gothic style, sporting a symmetrical design and centralized dome structure. There are 13 elevators, 29 staircases, and 691 rooms in the building.

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences has its home in Budapest. The organization was founded in
1825. The founding organizational structure allowed for only 43 members. No more than 18 could come from Pest. The remainder had to come from outlying areas. There are six departments located here: history, law, linguistics, mathematics, philosophy and natural sciences.

The complex itself was built and finished in 1865. Architecturally speaking, the location represents a break with the many Gothic designed buildings of the city, as it was designed in a neo-Renaissance style. By 1870, this style of design began to dominate the construction of buildings in this old city. Hungary became a bit of a rogue country, then, by not following the traditions for urban development that were lead by the cities of Paris and St. Petersburg. Many heated arguments ensued over the design of the building.

Count Istvan Szechenyi really got the Society up and running in 1825, when he offered the income of his estate for one full year to fund the start of the group. Later, many other wealthy patrons joined the cause to promote the study of the arts and sciences in Hungarian.

A more modern form of architecture can be found in the Gresham Palace in Budapest (also called the Gresham Palota). It is arguably the best example of Art Nouveau architecture in all of Central Europe. The building was finished in the early 1900s. Currently, the location is managed by Four Seasons Hotels on behalf of the Irish company, Quinlan Private.

A neo-classical palace actually stood in this place during the early 1800s. It was called the Nako House. In 1880, the Gresham Life Assurance Company of London purchased the property. Eventually, the company made it the location of their foreign headquarters. The company wanted to make improvements to the place, so they retained noted architect Zsigmond Quittner. The new project started in 1904, and was completed in 1906.

For many years, the palace served as a home away from home for many wealthy Brits. During WWII, the building became occupied by the Soviets, who used it to house soldiers. The location fell into disrepair, but was used for a bit as apartments during the reign of the People’s Republic of Hungary.

The Gresham Palace was given as a gift to the city of Budapest by the government for a short time. In 2001, the property was renovated to be used as a luxury hotel by the Four Seasons Hotel. After the property was taken over by Quinlan Private, many of its traditional features have been restored.

St. Stephen's Basilica (Hungarian: Szent István-bazilika) is the official home of the resident bishop for the Roman Catholic Church in Budapest. It is named after King Stephen, who was the first such monarch of Hungary. In fact, his mummified fist is housed as a reliquary there.

One could content that this church is one of the most important religious sites in Hungary. It is a significant tourist attraction. It also happens to be the third highest building in the country. In the city of Budapest, it towers into the air along with the Hungarian Parliament Building. Both structures are 96 meters high (this is regulated by the city authorities. No structure taller than this is allowed.)

It took 55 years to complete this project, which was worked on by two architects: Miklos Ybl and Jozsef Kauser. Much of the delay was caused by the fact that the original dome fell, due to structural defects, in 1868. The project had to be demolished and restarted.

The architectural styling is Neo-Classical. It has a Greek cross style plan. Two large bell towers hold the six bells of St. Stephen’s. You can access the dome by elevators or stairs to get one of the best views of Budapest. Guided tours are available Monday to Friday, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

The Vigado Palace Concert Hall is a historic music center located along the shores of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. It was built from 1859 through 1864. The architect was Frigyes Feszl. The structure actually is a replacement for the original that was located there and was completely lost to fire during the 1848-49 Hungarian Revolution.

The palace represents one of the best structures in all of Hungary that was built in the Romantic style. From its main façade, which overlooks the Danube River, one can find the classic outward projections, that are joined by the arcades, which are a prime example of this architectural design.

The Vigado, like the concert hall that it had replaced, was damaged during war. In this case, the damage to the palace occurred during World War II. A post war reconstruction of the building did take place, lasting nearly 30 years. In 2006, the façade was completely cleaned and restored.

Among the groups that still play concerts here, perhaps the most notable is the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble (Állami Népi Együttes Székháza). The group has been in existence since 1951, and is dedicated to the mission of keeping traditional Hungarian music alive and well.

The Chain Bridge was the first stone bridge that connected the regions of Buda and Pest. It is the second of two permanent bridges that cross the entire length of the Danube River. It is also very architecturally beautiful, and is the most recognizable symbol of the city.

The bridge officially carries the name of the person who first proposed the project, namely Count Istvan Szechenvi. The construction started in 1839, under the control of William Tierney Clark. Financing for the project was done by Baron Gyorgy Sina, of Vienna.

Eventually, the project was came under the supervision of Adam Clark of Scotland. Clark went on to marry a Hungarian girl, while he was still working on the bridge. If you look on the Buda end, you will find there a square named for him. The official inauguration took place on November 20, 1949.

From an architectural standpoint, this is a chain suspension bridge. On the Pest side it adjoins Szechenvi Square, in the vicinity of Gresham Palace. On the Buda side, it is connected to Adam Clark Square. The bridge spans 202 meters, which made it one of the largest of its kind back in the 1840s. You will also want to check out the lions that adorn the abutments. They are a reproduction of the Trafalgar Square Lions.

The Lánchíd Palace is where present-day Budapest was born. This was the place where decisions were taken and construction plans were made for the magnificent buildings that constitute Budapest today. Designed by the great architect, Miklosh Ybl, this landmark has managed to survive the World War II. Though it was damaged during the war, it has been renovated and retains much of its original form.

This famous Palace also goes by the names of Buda or Royal Castle, after the fact that it was built on Buda Hill. The building completely dominates the skyline of the city for much of Budapest.
This home to the royalty of Hungary is over 304 meters long, and is a sight to see at night.
From a design standpoint, the castle is a mixture of architectural styles. This is due to the fact that it has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times across the history of the country. You can find elements of Gothic, Romantic, and Baroque styles.

The original Royal Residence was built in this spot somewhere around 1247. That building was destroyed and the current oldest part of the castle was constructed during the 14th Century by Prince Stephen, the Duke of Slavonia. (He was the younger brother of King Louis I of Hungary.)

Sadly, the estate rooms of the Royal Palace are no more. Instead, the massive complex now holds the National Library of Hungary, the Budapest History Museum, and the National Art Gallery of Hungary. In 1987, the castle was added to the World Heritage Sites.

The Varkert Casino is listed as a World Heritage building. It was constructed in the late 19th century. This used to be a pump house that used to supply water to the Royal Palace. Located in Buda, this small casino is near to the Chain Bridge. Designed by Miklós Ybl, one of most famous Hungarian architects, the arched entrance and a fountain add to the grandeur of the building.