Szepmuveszeti Muzeum (I&V) PART I and other Budapest, Hungary Things to Do Tips

History of Budapest Szepmuveszeti Muzeum – Museum of Fine Arts dates back to 17th century. Among the establishes of collection are Hungarian aristocracy, members of families Esterhazy and Szechenyi. Building of the Museum was erected in period between 1900 and 1906. It was designed by Albert Schickedanz and Fulop Herzog. They had won 2nd prize at the competition for the design of Museum building held in 1898, but, due to practicability of plans, their idea had been made into reality. Museum of Fine Arts was opened to public on December the 1st 1906, in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph. In 2006 Museum celebrated 100 years anniversary by organizing exhibition of works of Vincent van Gogh, and publishing beautiful book "Museum of Fine Arts, Masterpieces from the Collection".

Collection of Museum of Fine Arts is one if the finest in Europe. Part of collection are two Leonardo's drawings and probably the only one existing sculpture made by him – small bronze "Equestrian Statue". Among other works of Italian masters are "Portrait of a Youth" painted by Giorgione, Raffaello's "Portrait of Pietro Bembo" and "Madonna and Child with the Infant St John", Correggio's "Virgin and Child with an Angel (Madonna del Latte)", paintings made by Gentile Bellini, Andrea del Verrocchio, Titiano Vecellio, Paolo Veronese, Jacopo Tintoretto, Agnolo Bronzino…

To be continued in PART II…

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Phone: +36-1-4697100
Address: Hosok tere | Heroes' Square
Directions: Szepmuveszeti Muzeum | Museum of Fine Arts is on the left side of Heroes' Square.
Working hours: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed on Mondays)
Website: http://www.szepmuveszeti.hu

[…] Works of German artists Albrecht Durer, Albrecht Altdorfer, Hans Baldung Grien and Lucas Cranach are part of Museum collection, as well as "The Sermon of St John the Baptist" painted by Netherlandish Pieter Bruegel.

Budapest Museum of Fine Arts collection of works of Spanish artists is probably the richest in the world out of Spain – among its artworks are El Greco's "Mary Magdalene in Penitence", "Annunciation"… Francisco Goya's "Water Carrier", "Knife Grinder"… Francisco de Zurbaran's "Apostle St Andrew", Esteban Murillo's "Flight into Egypt"…

"The Painter Jan Asselyn" by Frans Hals and "Admiral Sir Edward Hughes" painted by Joshua Reynolds are just some of the outstanding portraits in Museum collection.

Artworks made during 19th and 20th century are not numerous. Among them are "The Wrestlers" by Gustave Courbet, Eduard Manet's "Baudelaire's Mistress Reclining", but also works of Henri de Touloude-Lautrec, Paul Gaugin, Pablo Picasso, Kurt Schwitters…

Budapest Museum of Fine Arts possess quite nice Egyptian, Ancient Greek and Roman collections.

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Phone: +36-1-4697100
Address: Hosok tere | Heroes' Square
Directions: Szepmuveszeti Muzeum | Museum of Fine Arts is on the left side of Heroes' Square.
Working hours: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed on Mondays)
Website: http://www.szepmuveszeti.hu

Iparmuveszeti Muzeum – the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest was founded in 1872. It is the 3rd oldest in Europe (the datum Hungarians are very proud of), established just after museums in London and Vienna.

Museum building – secession style palace is artwork of Odon Lechner and Gyula Partos who won the competition held in 1890. The opening ceremony of the palace was held as the final event of the Millennium celebrations on October 25th 1896. Museum building is dominated by the dome decorated with yellow and green Zsolnay ceramics.

Museum collection contains many different kinds of items: furniture, jewellery, clocks, glassware, ceramics, books, prints, textile, costumes, weapons… Marvelous exhibited objects and beautiful interior decorations make Iparmuveszeti Muzeum unavoidable place for those interested in art.

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Phone: +36-1-4565100
Address: 1091 Budapest, Ulloi ut 33-37
Website: http://www.imm.hu/

Orszaghaz – the Hungarian Parliament is huge, richly decorated building on the left bank of Danube, designed by Imre Steindl and built between 1884 and 1902. Interior decoration of the Parliament is as rich as its exterior.

The Parliament building is open all year round and can be visited on guided tours.

Working hours: October 1st – April 30th: Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm; Saturdays, 8 am – 4 pm; Sundays, 8 am – 2 pm / May 1st – September 30th: Monday – Friday, 8 am – 6 pm; Saturdays, 8 am – 4 pm; Sundays, 8 am – 2 pm

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Phone: +36-1-4414000
Address: 1055 Budapest, Kossuth ter 1-3.
Directions: On Kossuth Lajos ter; metro M2, trams #2 2A, trolley-buses #70 78 and bus #15 to Kossuth Lajos ter stop
Website: http://www.parlament.hu

Equestrian Monument of Prince Eugene of Savoy has dominant position – it is in front of Buda castle and it can be seen even from Pesta side of Danube. This magnificent neo-baroque statue is major work of Hungarian sculptor Jozsef Rona. It was erected in 1900.

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Address: District I
Directions: On the top of Castle Hill (Varhegy). Funicular from Clark Adam ter (Buda bridgehead of the Chain Bridge), bus #16 from Deak F. ter, bus VAR from Moszkva ter. No cars allowed.

In backyard of Buda castle there is the statue of Csikos – the guard of the horses. Its location (not the original one – the statue had been moved to it in 1945), former Ujvilag terrace is now called Csikos court. The statue is artwork of Hungarian painter and sculptor Gyorgy Vastagh, and it was erected in 1902.

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Address: District I
Directions: On the top of Castle Hill (Varhegy). Funicular from Clark Adam ter (Buda bridgehead of the Chain Bridge), bus #16 from Deak F. ter, bus VAR from Moszkva ter. No cars allowed.

Back side of Buda castle is dominated by beautiful Matthias Fountain, artwork of Alajos Strobl, made in a period between 1898 and 1904. Fountain depicts a legend in which a young girl called Szep Ilonka – Beautiful Ilonka fell in love with King Matthias when he was out hunting, unaware that he was the king. Matthias Fountain is one of the best known tourist spots of Budapest.

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Address: District I
Directions: On the top of Castle Hill (Varhegy). Funicular from Clark Adam ter (Buda bridgehead of the Chain Bridge), bus #16 from Deak F. ter, bus VAR from Moszkva ter. No cars allowed.

Turul is the mythological bird of the origin myth of the Hungarian people. The biggest and the best known statue of Turul is in Tatabanya. Statue of Turul in Budapest, artwork of Gyula Donath, created in 1905, is located by the north side of Buda castle.

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Address: District I
Directions: On the top of Castle Hill (Varhegy). Funicular from Clark Adam ter (Buda bridgehead of the Chain Bridge), bus #16 from Deak F. ter, bus VAR from Moszkva ter. No cars allowed.