Colossal palace of Hungarian Parliament is undoubtedly one of the most well known features of Budapest's skyline. It took 20 years (1884 to 1904) to complete the building according to plans made by Imre Stendl. When completed the building was awfully out of fashion. The critics compared it to a Turkish bath and even to a wedding cake. The truth is that the neo-gothic building is very similar to the Westminster Palace - sans Big Ben.
The palace of Hungarian Parliament is the third largest parliament building in Europe (the largest being German Reichtag and the second largest Westminster). The building is 268 metres long and 123 metres wide. It has 10 inner courtyards, 29 staircases, 691 rooms, 242 statues and 386 very smart MPs.
Like the basilica, the parliament is 96 metres tall. The number is symbolically connected to the year of 1896, a millennium anniversary of the arrival of Magyar tribes to the Pannonian Basin. At the moment there is a law in force in Budapest preventing the construction of buildings taller than 96 metres. There are some changes foreseen as there are rumours circling the town that Raiffeisen bank is planning to build the first real skyscraper in Budapest.
The parliament is the place where they keep the famous St. Stephen's crown - which is not only a marvellous piece of art but also an important symbol of power and authority for Hungarians.
EU citizens can visit the parliament free of charge, others have to pay entrance fee. Guided tours in several languages are held every day except during official events and visits of foreign dignitaries. (Free) tickets can be obtained at gate X.
Location: Pest V, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3. Transport: metro M2 (Kossuth Lajos tér) or tram No. 2 (Kossuth Lajos tér). Web: www.parlament.hu