352 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp390–93 and pp394–7

University

Church r

Egyetemi templom

Papnövelde utca 7. Map D4.
Tel (01) 318 0555. q Kálvin tér.

7am–7pm daily.

This single-aisle church, built
between 1725 and 1742, is
considered one of the most
impressive Baroque churches
in Budapest. It is believed to
have been designed by local
architect András Mayerhoffer
and the tower was added
in 1771. The church was
built for the Pauline Order,
which was founded by Canon
Euzebiusz in 1263; it was
the only reli gious order to
be founded in Hungary.
The superb exterior
features a tympanum and a
row of pilasters that divide
the façade. Figures of St Paul
and St Anthony flank the
emblem of the Pauline Order,
which crowns the exterior.
The carved-wood interior
of the main vestibule is also
worth seeing.
Inside the church, a row of
side chapels stand behind
unusual marble pilasters. In
1776, Bohemian artist Johann
Bergl painted the vaulted
ceiling with fres coes depicting
scenes from the life of Mary,
though these are now in poor
condition. The main altar
dates from 1746, and the
carved statues behind it are

Museum of

Applied Arts t

Iparművészeti múzeum

Űllői út 33–7. Map E5. Tel (01) 456

5100. q Ferenc körút. # 10am–
      5:45pm Tue–Sun. & = -
      http://www.imm.hu

Opened in 1896 by Emperor

Franz Joseph I as part of the

Millennium Celebrations, this

museum is housed within an

outstand ing Art Nouveau

building designed by Gyula

Pártos (1845–1916) and Ödön

Lechner (1845–1914). The

exterior incorpo rates elements

inspired by the Orient as

well as the Zsolnay ceramics

cha rac teristic of Lechner’s

work. Damaged in 1945 and

again in 1956, the building

was recently restored to its

original magnificence.

The building is set around a

glorious, arcaded courtyard,

surrounded by cloisters and

designed in an Indian-

Oriental style. The museum,

established in 1872, comprises

many superb examples of arts

and crafts workmanship.

Among the permanent

collec tions are furniture from

the 14th to the 20th centuries,

including fine French pieces,

the work of József Hebenstreit.

Above it is a copy of the

famous Polish painting

The Black Madonna of

Częstochowa (c. 1720). The

balus trade of the organ loft,

the confessionals and the

carved pulpit are the work

of the Pauline monks.

Magnificent sculptures decorating
the pulpit in the University Church

Thonet bentwood furniture,

and a large col lection of

ceramics. The fine metalwork

collection com prises watches,

jewellery and other items

made by foreign and

Hungaraian craftsmen. The

textiles section includes silks

from the 13th and 14th cen tu-

ries and also traces the history

of traditional lacemaking.

The museum holds regular

tempo rary exhibitions. The

lib rary, dating from 1872,

con tains around 50,000

books, making it one of the

largest in Hungary.

A 17th-century dress in the Museum

of Applied Arts

Hungarian National

Museum y

Magyar Nemzeti múzeum

Múzeum körút 14–16. Map E4. Tel

(01) 338 2122 (327 7773 for English).

@ 9, 15. v 47, 49. Q Kálvin tér,

Astória. # 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. &

8 - = http://www.hnm.hu

Housed in a Neo-Classical

edifice built by Mihály

Pollack, the Hungarian

National Museum was founded

in 1802. It was started when

Count Ferenc Széchényi

bequeathed his collection of

coins, books and documents

to the nation. The museum’s

expanding collection of art

spans from the 11th century

to the present day and offers

the richest source of art and

arti facts relating to the

coun try’s history.

Among the star exhibits are

a textile masterpiece made of

Byzantine silk, which became

the Coronation Mantle in the

12th century, a 6th-century BC

figure of a Golden Stag and a

13th-century golden funeral

crown, discovered on Margaret

Island (see p355).

Gothic painting of Saint Martin of

Tours, Hungarian National Museum