Budapest's Austrian-Inspired Architecture: A Royal Legacy

Budapest's architecture is incredibly diverse, with influences from the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Baroque style of the Hapsburg Monarchy, and the Gothic Revival style of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The city's architecture has been shaped by its long and complex history, which includes periods of Roman, Mongol, Ottoman, and Austrian rule, as well as the influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

One of the most notable examples of Roman architecture in Budapest is the Ancient Roman Amphitheater, which was built in the 2nd century CE and could hold more than 13,000 spectators. Another example is the Buda Castle, which was first constructed in the 13th century and has been rebuilt multiple times due to damage from conflicts and natural disasters.

During the Ottoman rule of Budapest in the 16th century, several Turkish baths, including the Rudas Baths and Király Baths, were constructed, continuing the Roman tradition of utilising the city's natural hot springs.

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, under Hapsburg rule, several Baroque-style churches were built, including the University Church, the Inner City Parish Church, and the Saint Anne Parish Church. The Buda Castle was also rebuilt in the Baroque style during this period, with gardens and rooms typical of a royal residence.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Budapest underwent a period of rapid urbanisation and economic growth, resulting in the construction of many grand buildings and public works projects. Notable examples from this period include the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Chain Bridge, the Buda Castle, and the Fisherman's Bastion. The city's architecture from this period is characterised by a mix of Revival styles, including Neo-Gothic, Neo-Renaissance, and Neo-Baroque.

Overall, Budapest's architecture reflects the city's rich and complex history, with influences from various cultures and periods.

Budapest's Roman ruins

Budapest's architecture spans from Roman ruins to award-winning contemporary buildings. The city's Roman ruins are relatively small, but they're easily accessible and usually deserted, so you can have these two-thousand-year-old remains all to yourself.

Aquincum

In the 1st century CE, the Roman Empire extended to the Danube, with the river serving as its eastern border. Aquincum, situated in the northern part of today's Budapest (Óbuda), was the capital of Lower Pannonia province with a population of 40,000 in its heyday. The city had at least 30,000 inhabitants by the end of the 2nd century, and covered a significant part of the area today known as the Óbuda district within Budapest.

The most important monuments in Aquincum are the two amphitheatres: the Aquincum Civil Amphitheatre and the Aquincum Military Amphitheatre. The first and largest of the aforementioned amphitheatres, inscriptions indicate it was built by the Legio II Adiutrix during the reign of Antoninus Pius and used primarily as a training ground for the cavalry. At 131.8 meters long and 108.4 meters wide; and with an arena measuring 89.6 meters by 66.1 meters, it was, in fact, larger than the Colosseum in Rome and could house up to 13,000 people.

The smaller of the two preserved amphitheatres in the city, the Aquincum Civil Amphitheatre was built between 250 and 300 CE. The 6,000 or 7,000 spectators that the amphitheatre could hold would have enjoyed various sporting events, animal hunts, gladiatorial games, and other civic events and speeches in tribute to the emperor.

Another fascinating set of ruins in the Óbuda part of the city is the Aquincum Mithraeum. Mithraeum means temple, and this was excavated in 1888. Due to its location – attached to a large house in the centre of the settlement – it’s believed to have belonged to a person of great importance, most likely local senator Marcus Antonius Victorinus. The temple is divided into three rooms and includes an altar, shrines, and beautifully preserved inscriptions and sculptures.

The remains of an old fortress can be found not too far from Ferenciek Square, just by the banks of the river next to Elizabeth Bridge. The fortress – originally built in 296 – was 84 x 86 meters wide and had walls 3.5 meters thick and 10 meters high, standing guard on the banks of the river, which happened to outline the very outer reaches of the Roman Empire. Today, what’s left of the ruins are visible under glass panels in this pedestrianised part of the city.

Medieval architecture

The First Church of Kalocsa, with its three-nave basilical arrangement, was one of the first buildings to be constructed in this style. The Basilica of the Assumption of Székesfehérvár, founded by King Stephen I, was one of the largest churches in Europe at the time.

The Church of Mary Magdalene, commissioned by Béla IV of Hungary, is another example of Gothic architecture in Budapest. The Church of Mary Magdalene is one of the first Gothic buildings in the city and features a late-Gothic, four-storey tower.

The Gothic style also influenced the design of the Buda Castle, which was originally constructed in the Gothic-Renaissance style. The Castle was demolished during the 1686 siege of Buda, but its remains can still be found in the city.

The Gothic style continued to influence Hungarian architecture until the 16th century, when Renaissance architecture began to emerge.

Ottoman architecture

The first Ottomans were established in northwest Anatolia near the borders of the Byzantine Empire, and their position at this frontier encouraged influences from Byzantine architecture and other ancient remains. Early Ottoman architecture experimented with multiple building types over the course of the 13th to 15th centuries, progressively evolving into the classical Ottoman style of the 16th and 17th centuries. This style was a mixture of native Turkish tradition and influences from the Hagia Sophia, resulting in monumental mosque buildings focused around a high central dome with a varying number of semi-domes.

The most important architect of the classical period is Mimar Sinan, whose major works include the Şehzade Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, and Selimiye Mosque. Sinan's first major commission was the Şehzade Mosque complex, which Suleiman dedicated to Şehzade Mehmed, his son who died in 1543. The complex was built between 1545 and 1548. The prayer hall consists of a central dome surrounded by semi-domes on four sides, with smaller domes occupying the corners.

The tragedy of Ottoman architecture is that it never managed to renew its 16th-century brilliance. Later buildings, such as the impressive Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, were mostly variations on Sinan’s architecture, and sometimes there were revivals of older building types, especially in the provinces. Occasionally, as in the early 18th-century Nûruosman Mosque in Istanbul, interesting new variants appear illustrating the little-known Turkish Baroque style.

Baroque architecture

The Baroque style was also reflected in the construction of the Benedictine Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, in Győr, the Cathedral Basilica of Győr, the reconstruction of the Church of St. George in Sopron, and the former Jesuit church in Košice.

The Baroque style continued to be popular in the 18th century, with the Carmelite Church in Győr, the Jesuit church of Trenčín, the University Church in Pest, and the Royal Palace of Gödöllő, which is considered one of the most outstanding and beautiful examples of late Baroque castle architecture in Hungary.

The Baroque style also influenced the design of residential buildings, such as the Erdődy-Hatvany Palace in the Castle Hill, which combines Baroque and Neoclassical elements, and the Copf Style residential houses on the Castle Hill, which feature braided string motifs on the facades.

Overall, the Baroque style in Hungary is characterised by a mix of Italian, French, and Viennese influences, with Italian masters like Carlone and Martinelli being among the architects who contributed to its development.

Revival architecture

One of the most prominent examples of Revival architecture in Budapest is the Hungarian Parliament Building, which was constructed between 1885 and 1904. This imposing Gothic Revival structure stretches along the Danube River and was designed to symbolise the country's newfound prestige. Another notable example is the Saint Stephen's Basilica, completed in 1906, which is one of the great examples of Renaissance Revival architecture in 19th-century Europe. The building's dome provides panoramic views of the city.

The Dohány Street Synagogue, built between 1854 and 1859, is another impressive structure that combines Moorish and Mesopotamian elements with Revival architecture. It is the largest synagogue in Europe and was commissioned by the progressive Neolog Jewish community. The interior resembles a Christian church, with the bima placed at the front instead of the centre.

The Buda Castle, which was rebuilt between 1875 and 1912, is another iconic example of Revival architecture. The castle was originally a modest medieval structure but was extensively remodelled in the Revival style during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The architectural style of this period also extended to residential buildings, with many three and four-storey Renaissance and Baroque Revival homes constructed during this time. While some of these have been lost to World War II bombings and neglect, those that remain contribute to the unique character of the city.

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