It’s big and it’s beautiful
Sitting magnificently on the banks of the Danube river, the Budapest Parliament dominates the city of Budapest. It’s not only one of the oldest legislative buildings in Europe, it’s also the largest building in Hungary. Unsurprisingly, it’s a huge visitor attraction.
The history of the Budapest Parliament
It’s said that 1,000 workers built the Budapest Parliament between 1885 and 1902. It’s a massive 268 metres (880 feet) long and 96 metres (315 feet) high – the 96 figure marks the year 896, when Hungarian Magyars first settled in the region. While the country was under Soviet rule a large red star was placed on top of the main dome, but this was removed in 1989.
Other interesting facts about Budapest Parliament
- The Budapest Parliament house has more than 12.5 miles (20 kilometres) of staircases, and 691 rooms
- Half a million precious stones and 40kg (88lbs) of gold were used in its construction
- The Budapest Parliament is so big and detailed that it is almost always being renovated
- There are 242 sculptures on the walls, inside and out.
- The architect who designed the Budapest Parliament went blind before its completion
