350 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE

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

Roosevelt Square 8
Roosevelt tér

Map C3. @ 16. v 2.

Known by different names
over the years – Unloading
Square and Franz Joseph
Square among others –
Roosevelt Square received its
current title in 1947. It leads
into the Pest side of the Chain
Bridge, the city’s first perma-
nent bridge over the Danube
river. A major feat of engi-
neer ing, the bridge was
designed by Englishman
William Tierney Clark and
built by the Scot, Adam Clark,
between 1839 and 1849.
At the beginning of the
20th century, the square was
lined with hotels, the Diana
Baths and the Lloyd Palace,
design ed by József Hild. The
only build ing from the 19th
century still standing today
is the Hungarian Academy
of Sciences. All other
buildings were demol ished
and replaced by the Gresham
Palace and the Bank of
Hungary, on the cor ner of
József Attila utca. There is a
statue to Baron József Eötvös,
a reformer of pub lic
education, in front of the
InterContinental Budapest.
In the centre of the square
are monu ments to two
famous politi cians: Count
István Széchenyi, the leading
social and political reformer
of his age, and Ferenc Deák,
who was instru mental in the
Compromise of 1867, which
led to the Dual Monarchy of
Austria-Hungary.

architect, Miklós Ybl. He

added the Neo-Renaissance

dome after the original col-

lapsed in 1868. József Kauser

completed the church in 1905.

It received the title of Basilica

Minor in 1938, the 900th anni-

versary of St Stephen’s death.

A marble statue of the saint

stands on the main altar, and

scenes from his life are depic-

ted behind it. A painting to

the right of the main entrance

shows St Stephen, who was

left without an heir, dedica-

ting Hungary to the Virgin

Mary. His mummi fied forearm

is kept in the Chapel of the

Holy Right Hand.

The outer colonnade at the

back of the church has the

figures of the 12 Apostles.

The dome is decorated with

superb mosaics by Károly

Lotz and it reaches 96 m

State Opera

House 0

Magyar Állami Operaház

Andrássy út 22. Map D2. Tel (01)

331 2550, 353 0170 (box office).

q Opera. & 8 3pm & 4pm daily.

7 ^ = http://www.opera.hu

Opened in September 1884,

the State Opera House was

built to rival those in Paris,

Vienna and Dresden. Its

beautiful architecture and

interior decor were the life’s

work of architect Miklós Ybl.

The façade celebrates

musical themes, with statues

of Hungary’s most prominent

composers, including Ferenc

Liszt. The interior con tains

ornamentation by Hungarian

artists, including Alajos Strobl

and Károly Lotz.

The opulence of the foyer,

with its chandeliers and

vaulted ceilings, is echoed

in the grandeur of the sweep-

ing main staricase and the

three-storey auditori um.

Dur ing its lifetime, the opera

house has seen some influ-

ential musical directors,

includ ing Ferenc Erkel, com-

poser of the Hungarian opera

Bánk Bán, Gustav Mahler and

Otto Klemperer.

Impressive exterior of the

St Stephen’s Basilica

The imposing façade of the State Opera House

(315 ft) and is visible all over

Budapest. The basilica has

two towers, one of which

houses a bell weigh ing 9

tonnes (10 tons). This was

funded by German Catholics

to compen sate for the loss of

the original bell, which was

looted by the Nazis in 1944.

St Stephen’s

Basilica 9

Szent István Bazilika

Szent István tér. Map D3. Tel (01)
317 2859. q Deák Ferenc tér.

9am–5pm Mon–Sat, 2–5pm Sun.

& 7 5

Dedicated to St Stephen
(István), the first Hungarian
Christian king, this church was
designed by József Hild in the
Neo-Classical style, using a
Greek cross floor plan.
Construction began in 1851
and was taken over in 1867
by the great Hungarian