Hungarian Parliament Building
헝가리 국회의사당
The Hungarian Parliament Building, called the Országház ("House of the Country") in Hungarian, is where Hungary's National Assembly meets. It stands on the bank of the Danube River in Budapest, on the Pest side of the city, and its long white front with pointed towers and a central dome is reflected in the water.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- Hungary
- Location
- Budapest, Hungary
- Built
- 1904
- Height
- 96 m
- Type
- Government building
Quick answers
Where is Hungarian Parliament Building?
Hungarian Parliament Building is in Budapest, Hungary.
When was Hungarian Parliament Building built?
Hungarian Parliament Building was built in 1904.
How tall is Hungarian Parliament Building?
Hungarian Parliament Building is about 96 m tall.
Hungary's largest building, a neo-Gothic parliament on the bank of the Danube.
It is the largest building in Hungary: about 268 metres long and 123 metres wide, with 691 rooms, 10 courtyards and 29 staircases. It was designed by the Hungarian architect Imre Steindl in the neo-Gothic style, which copies the pointed arches and spires of medieval churches. Its dome rises 96 metres, and inside, under that dome, the Holy Crown of Hungary is kept on display. It is one of Budapest's most popular sights for visitors.
History
In 1873 the towns of Buda, Óbuda and Pest joined to form Budapest, and soon the country decided to build a grand new parliament facing the Danube. Imre Steindl won an international design competition, partly because his plan looked like the Palace of Westminster in London; Hungarian leaders admired Britain's parliament as a model. Work began in 1885, the building was opened in 1896 for Hungary's 1,000th anniversary celebrations, and it was fully finished in 1904. Sadly, Steindl went blind and died before it was complete.
How it was built
Building it took about 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40 kilograms of gold, used as thin gold leaf in the decorations. Inside and outside there are 242 sculptures, including statues of Hungarian kings, princes and military heroes on the outer walls. The building is almost perfectly symmetrical: it has two matching halls on opposite sides, one for the parliament's meetings today and the other now used for events and tours. Because it is so big and so detailed, some part of it is almost always being repaired.
Why 96 metres?
The height of the dome is not an accident. Hungarians traditionally date the founding of their country to the year 896, when the Magyar people settled in the Carpathian Basin, and the nation celebrated its millennium in 1896. A height of 96 metres honours those dates. Together with St Stephen's Basilica, the Parliament was one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest until a new office tower overtook them in 2021. Visitors can join guided tours to see the grand staircase, the sixteen-sided Dome Hall and the Holy Crown.
Fun facts
- The building has 691 rooms, enough to visit a different one almost every day for two years.
- About 40 kilograms of gold were used to decorate it.
- Its 96-metre dome is a reminder of the year 896, when Hungary's history as a country is said to begin.
- Its two parliament halls are mirror images of each other on opposite sides of the building.
On the globe
The model shows Hungary's grand neo-Gothic parliament with its long facade, pointed towers and central dome on the bank of the Danube in Budapest. Zoom in to compare the matching wings on each side of the dome.
Quiz time
Which is taller: Hungarian Parliament Building or St. Stephen's Cathedral?
Show the answer
St. Stephen's Cathedral. (96 m vs 136 m) St. Stephen's Cathedral →
Nearby on the globe
Sources
- Read more on Wikipedia
- Hungarian Parliament Building — Wikipedia
- 국회의사당 (헝가리) — 위키백과
- Parliament Building — Budapest.com
Updated: 2026-10-13