A copy, not a restoration
Almost nothing of the original survived — every element was remade by hand.
Wiki0856 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Derbrauni — CC BY 4.0 · Unknown authorUnknown author — Public domain · Brück & Sohn Kunstverlag Meißen — CC0
A ceremonial hall in the Royal Palace of Buda, entirely rebuilt and opened in 2021 after being destroyed in the Second World War, among the newest things to visit in Budapest and among the most argued about. The original hall was completed in 1900 and was considered one of the most beautiful rooms in Hungary: carved wood, mosaic, gilded ornament and a decorated ceiling, designed in a manner blending local Hungarian style with the Renaissance. It was destroyed in the siege of Budapest in 1945 and almost nothing of it survived. The reconstruction worked from black and white photographs, written description and a few surviving fragments, and took years, with craftsmen remaking every element by hand. The result is as exact a copy as possible rather than a restoration. That is the source of the controversy: the Hungarian government's project to rebuild the castle quarter as it was before the war has prompted wide debate over whether this is heritage preservation or the construction of an imagined past at great public cost. The argument continues. Practical points: entry is on a ticket separate from the rest of the palace, and the visit is short — half an hour to an hour. A booking or timed slot may be required.
Almost nothing of the original survived — every element was remade by hand.
Heritage preservation or an invented past? The debate continues.
The original design blended local vocabulary with the European Renaissance.
Buda Castle, Castle Hill, Budapest
Because the Hungarian government is carrying out a wide programme to rebuild the castle quarter's buildings as they were before 1945, at considerable public cost. Supporters see the recovery of heritage destroyed by war and the communist era. Opponents see a political project constructing an idealised imperial past, demolishing modern buildings of their own value along the way. Know both sides before judging what you see.
Usually not. The castle quarter holds several separate institutions with different tickets: the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum, and this hall. Check before buying and do not assume one ticket covers everything on the hill.
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