Architecture

Pre-1890 – Art Nouveau – Bauhaus – Socialist-Realist – Contemporary

Pre-1890

Architecture in Hungary goes back to the Roman period, and a visit to the settlement of Aquincum is covered on our History page. Due to its very turbulent destructive history: invasions, revolutions and two world wars, there are only a few remaining examples of architecture from this period, scattered around the country. Turkish remains are also dealt with in the History page, while the Castle District – a World Heritage Site – includes a number of 18th century buildings. The real richness of Hungarian architecture comes in the period from 1890.

Art Nouveau

Budapest has some wonderful examples of Art Nouveau buildings, including the splendid Gresham Palace (Four Seasons Hotel), the Museum of Applied Arts and the Postal Savings Bank. There are numerous smaller buildings which represent Art Nouveau, some of which have the stained glass windows of Miksa Roth whose museum can also be visited (see Visual Arts tours), as well as the Art Deco style.
We offer a guided walking tour which incorporates information about the development of the particularly Hungarian variation of Art Nouveau whilst visiting some of these buildings.

Bauhaus / Modernist

Hungary helped to spread ideas of the Bauhaus movement and its chief proponent, Walter Gropius, with one district being dominated by the style, as well as many villas and buildings in other parts of the city.

Socialist Realist

Budapest is dotted with buildings from the communist period – mainly single buildings erected where another had been destroyed in the war, alongside the ubiquitous housing estates built all over the country and all over the Soviet bloc. Some of the more well-known landmarks are pictured below.