Besides Miklós Ybl and Frigyes Schulek Imre Steindl was the most famous Hungarian architect of the 19th century, who followed the historicist school. Besides his most renowned work, the Hungarian Parliament Building he made the plans of the Commercial and Industrial Bank and the buildings of the Eötvös Loránd University on Múzeum körút as well.
Imre Steindl was born in 1839 in Pest as a son of a jeweler. He got his qualifications at the Budapest University of Technology, then he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. He had some remarkable impressions there that defined his latter style. From 1870 he gave lectures at the Budapest University of Technology. One of his first jobs was creating the tomb of the Count Gyulay family, and he also constructed tenement houses and castles in the country. In 1975 he created the plans for the New City Hall in Váci utca, and soon those of the Commercial and Industrial Bank in Fő utca as well. Continuing Ferenc Schultz's work he managed the restoration of the Vajdahunyad Castle in Városliget (City Park). He also took part in the restoration in several churches in the country like in Máriafalva, Igló and Bártfa. In 1877 he made the plans for the renewal of the gothic cathedral in Košice, and in 1881 those of the Veterinary College. He got an award at the Paris and the Vienna World's Fair.
His Most Important Work, the Hungarian Parliament Building
The parliament ruled over building a permanent Hungarian Parliament Building – the temporary one was located in the present Bródy Sándor utca. The tender was organized in 1883, and it was won by Imre Steindl and three other architects, but the final plans were made by Steindl. The foundation stone of the building was laid in 1885. The building was to be opened in 1900, but the constructions were only finished in 1904. The Hungarian Parliament Building built in Neo-Gothic and Eclectic style is a symbol or the Hungarian capital; its monumental size and dome symbolizes the powerful country and the unitary legislature. Imre Steindl couldn't be there at the inauguration of the building, since he died in 1902. An average 1000 workers took part in the construction, 40 million bricks and 40 kg of gold was used. The 17 thousand square-meter building has 29 stairways, 27 gates and 13 elevators; 90 sculptures on its walls and 152 inside.
Source:
hu.wikipedia.org
Photo:
flickr.com
