de/from WIKIPEDIA:
El Parlamento (en húngaro: Országház que significa: casa del país o de la nación) es, probablemente, el edificio más conocido de Budapest. Es el centro de la legislatura húngara y otras instituciones, como la biblioteca del Parlamento. Se trata, sin duda, de uno de los edificios legislativos más viejos de Europa. Está ubicado en el distrito V de la ciudad, junto al río Danubio, situándose la entrada principal en la plaza Kossuth.
La actual ciudad de Budapest surge de la unión en 1873 de 3 ciudades: Buda y Óbuda (orilla oeste del Danubio) con Pest que se encuentra en la orilla este. Siete años después de la unión, se resolvió crear un edificio representativo para albergar al parlamento de la nación. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un concurso internacional que fue ganado por Imre Steindl.
El edificio fue construido entre 1885 y 1904, siguiendo los planos de Imre Steindl. Intervinieron en la construcción alrededor de mil personas y se utilizaron 40 millones de ladrillos, medio millón de piedras preciosas y 40 kilos de oro.
Después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, el gobierno se constituyó en una única cámara por lo que, actualmente, sólo ocupa una pequeña parte del edificio.
El 23 de octubre de 1989, Mátyás Szűrös declaró constituida la República de Hungría desde el balcón que da a la plaza Lajos Kossuth.
Durante el régimen comunista, un bandera con una estrella roja ondeaba en lo alto de su cúpula pero fue retirada en 1990.
El edificio del parlamento es de estilo neogótico y se caracteriza por su fachada simétrica en torno a un cúpula central de estilo neorenacentista. Su interior, también simétrico, sirve para albergar un parlamento bicameral. En El ala norte se encuentra la oficina del Primer Ministro, mientras en el ala sur la del Presidente de la República. En la decoración interior predominan los mármoles y el oro.
La fachada principal del edificio está orientada hacia el rio Danubio sin embargo, la entrada principal se encuentra en el lado que da a la plaza. Alrededor de unas 242 estatuas adornan las paredes del edificio, tanto por dentro como por fuera del mismo. Las estatuas del exterior representan fundamentalmente a los gobernantes húngaros, a líderes de Transilvania y a militares famosos. Por encima de las ventanas figuran escudos de armas de reyes y duques.
Los visitantes que entran por la entrada principal, pueden ver una gran escalera central rodeada por 2 leones, hermosos frescos, un busto del arquitecto que diseño el edificio Imre Steindl en un nicho en la pared, así como otras estatuas representando a Arpad, Stephen I and John Hunyadi.
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The Hungarian Parliament Building (Hungarian: Országház, which translates to House of the Country or House of the Nation) is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube. It is currently the largest building in Hungary and still the tallest building in Budapest.
Budapest was united from three cities (Buda, Óbuda y Pest) in 1873 and seven years later the diet resolved to establish a new, representative Parliament Building, expressing the sovereignty of the nation. An international competition was held, and Imre Steindl emerged as the victor; the plans of two other competitors were later also realized in the form of the Ethnographical Museum and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture, both of which face the Parliament Building. Construction from the winning plan was started in 1885 and the building was inaugurated on the 1000th anniversary of the country in 1896, and completed in 1904. (The architect of the building went blind before its completion.)
About one thousand people were involved in construction, during which 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40 kilograms (88 lb) of gold were used.
After World War II the diet became single-chambered and today the government uses only a small portion of the building. During the communist regime a red star perched on the top of the dome, but was removed in 1990. Mátyás Szűrös declared the Hungarian Republic from the balcony facing Lajos Kossuth Square on 23 October 1989.
The Parliament Building is in the Gothic Revival style; it has a symmetrical facade and a central dome. The dome is Renaissance Revival architecture.[3] Also from inside the parliament is symmetrical and thus has two absolutely identical parliament halls out of which one is used for the politics, the other one is used for guided tours. It is 268 m (879 ft) long and 123 m (404 ft) wide. Its interior includes 10 courtyards, 13 passenger and freight elevators, 27 gates, 29 staircases and 691 rooms (including more than 200 offices).
With its height of 96 m (315 ft), it is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest, along with Saint Stephen's Basilica. The number 96 refers to the nation's millennium, 1896, and the conquest of the later Kingdom of Hungary in 896.
The main façade faces the River Danube, but the official main entrance is from the square in front of the building. Inside and outside, there are altogether 242 sculptures on the walls.
On the façade, statues of Hungarian rulers, Transylvanian leaders and famous military people are displayed. Over the windows, there are pictures of coats of arms of kings and dukes. The main entrance is the stairs located on the eastern side, bordered by two lions.
When entering the Parliament, visitors can walk up great ornamental stairs, see frescoes on the ceiling and pass by the bust of the creator, Imre Steindl, in a wall niche. Other statues include those of Árpád, Stephen I and John Hunyadi.
One of the famous parts of the building is the hexadecagonal (sixteen-sided) central hall, with huge chambers adjoining it: the Lower House and the Upper House. The modern National Assembly is unicameral and meets in the Lower House chamber, while the Upper House chamber is used as a conference and meeting room. The Holy Crown of Hungary, which is also depicted in the coat of arms of Hungary, has been displayed in the central hall since 2000.
Further features include the stained glass and glass mosaic paintings by Miksa Róth.
