Hungarian State Opera

Pretty close to the Basilica of St. Stephen’s lies another iconic building of the capital, the building of the Hungarian State Opera. The Neo-Renaissance palace designed by Miklós Ybl has been open to opera and ballet lovers for more than 130 years. Thousands of tourists visit the building each year to admire one of Budapest’s most important historical monuments.

By the end of the 19th century, the Pest cityscape was basically completed with the construction of Andrássy Avenue (originally called Sugár Avenue). The emergence of the avenue raised the idea of establishing a dedicated opera building. The new building was especially necessary because the contemporary National Theatre building was increasingly unable to stage dramas while also meeting the requirements of hosting operas.

Miklós Ybl’s won him the architectural competition and in 1875 the building permit was issued. However the original plan was reworked a number of times, because Franz Josef I only allowed construction with the condition that the Pest opera not exceed the size of the Vienna opera. The opening ceremony was held nine years later, on 27 September 1884.

The bifurcated stairs in the foyer lead up to the grand staircase, where the aesthetic experience becomes even greater. Paintings by Mór Than adorn the nine rectangles of the gilded coffers that embellish the mirrored ceiling above the main stairs. The topics of these are the Waking of Music and the Power of Music. More