Hungarian Parliament Building

On the bank of the Danube, this impressive building displays an eclectic mixture of architectural styles and is home to the Crown of St Stephen.

TravelCurious Tip

To appreciate the sheer grandeur of the building, admire it from the opposite bank of the Danube — or better yet, from a boat!

After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise in 1867 resulted in a dual monarchy, Hungary was more independent: it wrote its own constitution, and resolved to build a new, impressive parliament building to underline its sovereignty. 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40 kilograms of gold later, the spectacular Hungarian Parliament Building was complete.


It lies in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube, and is currently the largest building in Hungary. It also holds the title of being the joint tallest building in Budapest, along with St Stephen’s Basilica. They both stand at 96 metres, and this was no accident: it symbolises the equal standing of worldly and spiritual matters in Budapest. The height of 96 metres refers to 896, the year when the Magyar tribes settled in the Carpathian Basin.


The architect, Imre Steindl, sought to combine historical architecture with modern techniques, and the Hungarian Parliament is a fine example of historical eclecticism. It features elements of the Neo-Gothic style, with its many turrets and towers, but also takes inspiration from Renaissance and Byzantine traditions. Steindl may have based his design on the Houses of Parliament in London, but the result was far from imitation.


The interior is just as stunning as the exterior: the staircase hall, for example, is a marvel, with its granite Corinthian columns, gilded ornaments and sprawling ceiling painting by Károly Lotz. The building also houses some treasures, including the Hungarian Crown Jewels which after World War II were given to the Americans for safekeeping from the Soviet Union. President Jimmy Carter eventually returned them in 1978.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Budapest
St Stephen's Basilica
A neoclassical cathedral dedicated to the first Christian king of Hungary; his (alleged) right hand is housed in its reliquary.
Soviet War Memorial
Situated in a landscaped park, this white obelisk commemorates Russian military who served during the Second World War.
Chain Bridge
The Chain Bridge, also know as Széchenyi Bridge connects East and West Budapest through the River Danube
Liberty Square
Liberty Square or Szabadsag ter in Budapest is one of the largest squares in the city
Statue of Imre Nagy
Imre Nagy was the Prime Minister of Hungary during Soviet Rule, responsible for anti-Soviet uprising.
Ronald Reagan Statue
Ronald Reagan Statue stands in Liberty Square, Budapest, to commemorate the former United States president and his efforts to end the Cold War and Russian control over Hungary.

Related Tours

Pest District of Budapest: Private Walking Tour
Explore the fascinating and vibrant Pest District of Hungary’s capital city, famous for its Jewish history, and its mix of stunning architectural styles

On your private tour, you will:

  • Discover the Pest district of Budapest, and learn why the two cities of Buda and Pest were united;
  • Wander along the eastern banks of the Danube River, whilst learning of its importance to the city since ancient times;
  • Learn about the Jewish community and their history in Budapest at the Holocaust Memorial centre;
  • Visit the Great Synagogue, and enjoy a privately guided tour of Europe’s largest Jewish place of worship, with tickets included;
  • Tour inside the stunning Basilica of St Stephen’s, a neoclassical Cathedral including tickets;
  • Learn about Hungary’s politics as you stand in front of the magnificent Parliament Building;
  • Pass by the Vörösmarty tér statue and stop for a photo at the Ferris Wheel of Budapest;
  • Experience the friendly, buzzing atmosphere of Downtown Pest, a vibrant, trendy, cultural and artistic neighbourhood;
  • Stop by the  Opera House, and the House of Terror;
  • Admire the plethora of fabulous architectural styles – Gothic, Turkish, Art Nouveau and Neo-Classical among others;
  • End your at the Heroes' Square by the iconic Millennium Monument with statues featuring the Seven chieftains of the Magyars as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes.

Budapest is really two cities, Buda and Pest, combined. The Pest district lies on the eastern bank of the Danube River and is famous for its vibrant atmosphere, Jewish community and history, and stunning mix of architectural styles from Gothic to Art Nouveau. Your private guide will show you all the most important highlights of the district on your private walking tour. 

Learn all about the Jewish community, as you step inside the Great Synagogue, a statuesque landmark that ranks amongst the world’s largest places of worship for the Jewish faith and was consecrated in the city in 1859. Stroll the leafy Andrássy út boulevard, passing by the neo-Renaissance National Opera House and other national buildings, including the formidable and magnificent Hungarian Parliament. Straddling the Danube, this stunning building is home to the Crown of St Stephen, a historically significant treasure of the Hungarian nation, bequeathed by Pope Sylvester II on Christmas Day in the year 1000. 

Walk into the Heroes’ Square, one of Budapest’s favourite public spaces where your tour will end: a popular gathering point with a monument dedicated to the Magyar (Hungarian) conquest at its heart. 
A Day in Budapest: Private Tour with Tickets Included
Budapest, Hungary’s capital and the largest city on the River Danube became famous for its spectacular architecture, rich cultural heritage, vast Parliament building, impressive synagogues, delicious local cuisine, and for being the world’s top Spa destination! The 19th-Century Chaine Bridge connects the hilly Old Town of Buda with the flat but vibrant district of Pest.  On your full-day tour, your expert local guide will show you some of the most important historical and cultural sites of Budapest - and not to mention some truly breathtaking views. 

On your private tour, you will:

  • Commence your tour at Heroes' Square by the iconic Millennium Monument with statues featuring the Seven chieftains of the Magyars as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes.
  • Visit two of Europe’s most important synagogues at Dohány Street Synagogue and Rumbach Street Synagogue (if open at the time of the tour);
  • Admire the elegance of St Stephen's Basilica, a neoclassical cathedral (tickets included) named for the first King of Hungary;
  • See the scale and opulence of the Hungarian Parliament Building - which contains the Crown of St Stephen;
  • Discover Budapest’s stunning array of architectural styles, from the Turkish era to Art Nouveau;
  • Enjoy the buzz of Pest, a vibrant cultural hub on the eastern banks of the Danube;
  • Take a well-deserved, relaxing lunch break at Bisztró Csárda (Lunch not included);
  • Head to Buda District and enjoy the calm and historic vibe of Buda with its characterful streets;
  • Find out what drove Buda and Pest to unify as one large capital city;
  • Walk up to Castle Hill, which offers phenomenal panoramic views of the city and over the river;
  • Learn about the Buda Castle, by the imposing equestrian Statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy;
  • Visit the Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church with tickets included;
  • End your tour at Fisherman's Bastion where you are free to enjoy the panoramic views of the city at your leisure.

Explore the beautiful city of Budapest, a great city of the Renaissance, situated majestically on the Danube River. Budapest is famous for its stunning array of architecture and fairytale towers displayed extravagantly all over the city from the castle to the opulent parliament building; for its abundance of luxury thermal spas and vast network of underground caves; for its gastronomy; and for its rich artistic and cultural heritage. 

Budapest is the cultural, political, and economic hub of Hungary. The mighty Danube River neatly dissects the city, with the old town of Buda extending into the hills on the west bank and Pest sitting in the lowlands to the east. As Hungary’s largest city, Budapest is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic thanks to its long and complex history beginning with the Romans, and the legacies of the Asiatic conquest, Mongol invasion, Ottoman siege, German control, and Soviet rule. Your guide will talk you through the many trials and tribulations of the city, and the story of how Buda and Pest were eventually united as one city. 

Enjoy exploring both sides of the city; start at the Heroes' Square and learn about the iconic Millennium Monument with statues featuring the Seven chieftains of the Magyars as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes. Walk around trendy Pest home to the largest Parliament building in the world, its height is matched by the imposing St Stephen’s Basilica, and the Great Synagogue is also one of the largest places of worship for the Jewish faith in the world.

Then head across the river to the old town of Buda, with spectacular views from the castle. Enter Matthias Church and end your tour at Fisherman’s Bastion where you can admire the panoramic views at your leisure.

Flavours of Budapest: Private Half-Day Food Tour
Explore Budapest’s thriving foodie scene on this private walking food tour with several tastings, so be sure to arrive hungry. Learn about the history of Hungarian cuisine as you sample its many varied flavours, and admire the highlights of the city too. 

On your private tour, you will: 

  • Enjoy the personalised attention of your expert private guide, a local foodie!;
  • Sample many delicious authentic Hungarian tastings on this culinary journey through Budapest;
  • Admire many of the architectural highlights of the city as you explore its foodie scene;
  • Browse the sensational food markets and soak up the vibrant atmosphere;
  • Eat like a local and try some of Budapest’s tastiest street food;
  • Visit local bars and cafes and authentic gourmet restaurants;
  • Learn the history behind the nation’s favourite dish;
  • Get the inside scoop on the best places to eat in the city;
  • End at a lively bar in the centre, to continue at your leisure.

Budapest boasts a diverse array of different dishes with abundant culinary influences. In its soups and stews, there are the tell-tale signs of Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania, while stuffed vegetables and pickled salads are from Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. To Austria, it owes many of its pastries and to Turkey, its coffee, with German and Russian occupation also leaving its mark. Yet with the regional towns and villages of Hungary’s culinary heartlands, Budapest’s focus is squarely on home-spun dishes - albeit with a modern, contemporary twist.

Delve into the city’s gastronomic history on this experiential, sensory and delicious food tour. 

Get to know Hungary through its incredible food. Experience for yourself how history and societal changes continue to add new complexity to the city’s foodscape. In the markets, in the cafes, in the kitchens and at the food stalls, you will meet some of the chefs and watch kitchens in the throes of creativity: smell the food, listen to it pop and spit, devour it with your eyes, before finally – tucking in! 

Budapest’s favourite local dishes read like a Hungarian map, with every corner of this landlocked country represented in restaurants in the city. Like any capital city, Budapest is home to people from all over the globe, adding further culinary bites to the city’s mouthwatering food mix. 

Traditional Hungarian cuisine is heavy, no surprise given the bitterly cold winters; however, demand in Budapest is increasingly for modern interpretations of these robust dishes, so lighter and smaller portions, tapas-style. 

This tour is a tantalising tasting adventure of authentic Hungarian baked goods, sumptuous slow-cooked meats, freshly cooked soup, pies and fresh local produce. Enjoy! Or as they say in Budapest: jó étvágyat!
Communism in Budapest: Private Tour with House of Terror Museum
Explore the beautiful city of Budapest on this private walking tour all about the turbulent political history of Hungary, from the Nazi Occupation to the rise and fall of Communism and finally the birth of democracy. 

On your private tour, you will: 

  • Enjoy the personalized attention of your private guide;
  • Explore the beautiful Hungarian capital of Budapest with a focus on its political past;
  • Commence your tour at the iconic Bem József Memorial Square – the site of the 1956 revolution;
  • Walk outside the magnificent Parliament House and learn the backdrop of Hungarian politics from the preceding centuries to the 21st;
  • Explore a collection of retro bars and butcher shops as you wander through the central district while discussing life under communist rule;
  • Stop by monumentssquares, and statues commemorating the past, including Ronald Reagan in Liberty Square;
  • Lastly enjoy a guided tour of the House of Terror Museum with entrance tickets included, where you will see exhibits and memorials to victims of those who lived behind the Iron Curtain.

Considered one of Europe’s most charming cities, Budapest, an amalgamation of Buda and Pest joined up in 1873, contains an incredible array of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is split in two by the mighty River Danube, Europe’s second-longest river. The city is rich in geothermal water resources and is famous for its grand, mosaic-clad public bath-houses earning it the title of ‘World's Spa Capital. 

Modern Budapest is a thriving metropolis, but it wasn’t always so, and on this private tour of the city, you will discover and explore the remnants of Nazism and Communism that still scar the soul of the town. Explore hidden backstreets, statues, and open commemorative squares as your guide tells you the stories of the people that made Budapest: from the Ottoman Empire of the 16th Century through the revolutions of the 1800s, the tragedies of World War 2, the Nazi Occupation, the Soviet Liberation, the 1956 revolution, the rise and fall of ‘Goulash Communism’ from the 1960s-80s, and the birth of modern democracy in 1989 with the fall of the Iron Curtain: all while standing in the places in which it all happened, or by the statues of those involved. 

You’ll begin at Bem József Memorial Square, which saw 200,000 Hungarian students protesting against Soviet rule in 1956. (Bem József was a Polish general – a national hero of Poland and Hungary, who was one of the leaders of the 1848 Revolution). Following on from here you’ll stop by the statue of Imre Nagy, a politician and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Hungarian People's Republic from 1953 to 1955, but, in 1956 he led the Revolution against the Soviet-backed government. For this, he was imprisoned and executed in 1958. He remains a heroic figure in the historic fight to topple Communism in Hungary.

You’ll wander down Falk Miksa street and see an unlikely statue of Columbo, the famous LAPD fictional detective, famous for his scruffy appearance and dogged determination to get to the truth at all costs. Why a statue of him here? It is believed Peter Falk, the actor who played him, was potentially related to the female political activist of the 19th century Miksa Falk and was also of Jewish descent. The statue is symbolic of uncovering the truth, and a homage to American efforts to end the Soviet's power in Hungary. 

Next, you’ll walk into the magnificent Kossuth Lajos square to see the impressively vast, Neo-Gothic parliament building the home of the national assembly. Stop for some spectacular photos and learn all about the emergence of contemporary Hungarian politics from 1989 onwards.

Just around the corner and not far from the river, you’ll enter Liberty Square. A beautiful, leafy green square, dotted with statues, but with a bloody and turbulent history. It is symbolic of the history and politics of the past 250 years in Hungary, and Budapest.

Formerly a site of army barracks, in which Hungarian political prisoners were tortured and executed by the Austrian armies in the fight for independence in the 1800s, the barracks were demolished and the square replaced them in 1897. Throughout the 20th century, Liberty Square was the site of protests, revolutions, and war. Today it is a living monument to the turbulent past: with statues to commemorate the Nazi Occupation, and the Soviet Liberation. It is now a symbol of freedom with a seemingly incongruous bronze statue of a very jolly-looking Ronald Reagan. The people of Hungary erected it to honour Reagan’s role in ending the Cold War, which led to the end of Soviet rule in Hungary. Since 1989, the country has truly emerged from behind the Iron Curtain and become a parliamentary republic joined NATO in 1999 and integrated with the EU in 2004.

Lastly, you will visit the House of Terror a museum with your private guide.  House of Terror is a memorial to the horrors of the past, to those detained, tortured, and killed inside the building and contains exhibits from the fascist and communist regimes of 20th-century Hungary. 
Welcome to Budapest: Private Guided Walking Tour
Explore the highlights of the beautiful Hungarian capital of Budapest, on this half-day walking tour around the city's main highlights.

On your private tour, you will: 

  • Admire the scale and finery of the Hungarian Parliament Building in Kossuth Lajos Square;
  • Walk by the famous Kossuth Lajos square, also known as the bank of the Danube;
  • Find out what caused Buda and Pest to unify as one large capital city;
  • Learn of the importance of the Danube River to Budapest since ancient times;
  • Enjoy the tranquillity of the quaint and characterful historic streets of Buda as you learn the stories of famous Hungarians who lived here and shaped the destiny of the city;
  • Pass by St Stephen's Basilica, a stunningly elegant neoclassical cathedral;
  • Experience the buzz of Pest, a vibrant cultural hub on the eastern banks of the Danube;
  • Walk around Castle Hill, which offers phenomenal panoramic views over the city;
  • Pass by the buildings on the Buda side like Matthias Church, Fisherman's Bastion, Sándor Palace, and Buda Castle.
  • End the tour at Fisherman's Bastion terrace, and enjoy the best views of the city at your leisure!

Considered one of Europe’s most strikingly beautiful cities, Budapest contains an incredible array of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is an amalgamation of two independent settlements of Buda and Pest that were joined in 1873.

Learn about Hungary’s complex political history outside the magnificent Neo-Gothic Parliament building, admire the stunning St. Stephen’s Basilica and enjoy the relaxed and famously friendly atmosphere of Trinity Square's lovely 13th Century Matthias Church. 

Budapest is split by a wide sweep of the mighty River the Danube, Europe’s second-longest river (the Volga is the longest) that stretches from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. The city is rich in geothermal water resources, with thousands of subterranean pools spouting mineral-rich waters dating back over 2,000 years. Using 20 million litres of water, Budapest’s grand, mosaic-clad bath-houses are open to the public, earning it the title of ‘World's Spa Capital’! From the Ottoman Empire of the 16th Century through to the tragedies of World War 2 and the thriving modern city it is today, your guide will show you the major monuments, and the hidden gems, and tell you the many stories that have shaped the city over many centuries. 

Also experience the buzz of Pest, the vibrant cultural hub on the eastern banks of the Danube. You’ll also walk around Castle Hill with its sweeping vista overlooking the city – the money shot! Your tour ends at Fisherman's Bastion terrace, to enjoy the best views of the city at your leisure!
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