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The original engravings were made of the upstairs side wing and the former meeting hall of the ’Kúria’, the former Palace of Justice and today’s Museum of Ethnography and Institute of Political History. The building was contsructed by Alajos Hauszmann from 1893 to 1897. The most significant architect of the era began his career as a bricklayer apprentice. He later studied architecture at the Bauakademie together with Ödön Lechner, then, from 1872, became professor of the University of Technical Sciences. Without being complete, we can thank him for the following buildings: Saint Stephen’s Hospital, the New York Palace, and the University of Technical Sciences. In 1919, even his own house was confiscated. In 1924, still in his life, he was elected honorary member of the Hugarian Academy of Sciences. He died in Venice in 1926. He had a decisive influence on the architecture of the city of Budapest.
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You can see the former staircase in its renovated state. Especially impressive is the ornamental wrought iron work that was made partly by hand in the Metal Artwork Factory known after the names of András Jungfer and Gyula Jungfer. The work of their hands is manifested in numerous elaborate pieces of art in Budapest and in dwelling houses and public buildings all over the country. The predecessor in title, András Jungfer, was registered in the Pest Locksmith Guild’s Book of Masters on December 24, 1786. His grandson, Gyula Jungfer, elevated decorative metalwork to the level of art, which is proved by the Grand Prix he won at the World Expo of Paris in 1900, then of St. Louis in 1904.
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The original wall paintings, the so-called seccos (i.e. frescos on dry plaster), were restored in the building, together with the original plaster ornaments. You can see here as well that the designer applied wired thin plaster plates where it was necessary to bridge the large spans. The use of rolled iron provided a new form both for the material and for the structure. Alajos Hauszmann was constructive in this as well, since, from the perspective of both the ground plan and spatial art, the building of the KĂşria and the design and creation of its grandiose central hall, could be solved only with this new structure.
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The originally composed unity of the details can be seen in this picture as well: the harmony of the wall covering, the internal doors, and the decorative glass, together with the beautifully cast terazzos.
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A detail from the former terazzo, whose most beautiful and richest part can be seen in the Great Hall of today’s Museum of Ethnogragphy.
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The bronze wall candelabras were cast with different arm sizes, based on the original forms. The shades on the English table lamps were made of white raw canvas, just like the pleated and gathered curtains on the arched windows. We were inspired by the canvas curtains used in Italian Renaissance, like on Venice’s Saint Mark Square.
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The canvas curtains created a nice contrast with the beautifully-arched, large-sized, deep brown windows and silky walls.
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An interesting steel chest of drawers, which was also renovated. It was placed in the building later.
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An interesting steel chest of drawers, which was also renovated. It was placed in the building later.
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You can see the original – partially renovated – staircase, which was made by the Jungfer Metal Artwork Factory. Alajos Hauszmann, the designer of the building, retired from working as a teacher and architect at the age of 67. No one could have had a more successful career than he: a corresponding member of the Royal Institute of British Arhitecture and the Vereinigung der im reich Vertretenen Königreiche und Laender, the gold medallist of the National Society of Craftsmen, and the well-deserved owner of the Grand Prix of the 1900 Paris World Expo.
