'Master Steindl possessed a true artist’s soul and immense creative power. He never sought entertainment nor rest; he found all his joy in art and devoted his entire time to it. His blunt, straightforward manner may not have attracted many, but those who knew him understood that kindness held the greatest place in his heart. We did not only lose a distinguished architect but also an excellent teacher, whose name became unforgettable in the history of the Technical University, and whose memory is indelibly engraved in the hearts of his students,' wrote Károly Csányi in his obituary for the master.

Imre Steindl was born on October 29, 1839, in Budapest, the son of a respected jeweler. He completed his primary and secondary education in Pest and pursued higher education at the József Polytechnic. At the age of twenty, he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, where he studied not only structural but also artistic aspects of architecture. One of his professors, Friedrich von Schmidt, involved him in heritage preservation programs, laying the foundations for Steindl’s later restoration work. Upon returning to Hungary, he became a substitute and, from 1870 onward, a full professor at the Polytechnic, which by then had become the Technical University. He held this position for thirty-two years until his death. Meanwhile, he remained active in architecture—among his first projects was the monumental tomb of the Gyulay family in the Víziváros cemetery. His name is also associated with the New Town Hall of Pest, the Museum Boulevard building of the Technical University (now part of ELTE Faculty of Humanities), and the Grand Hotel Aranybika in Debrecen, which we’ve discussed previously.

Steindl and Heritage Preservation

A striking example of Steindl’s devotion to historical architecture is the collection of 500 drawings he commissioned from his students depicting various Hungarian heritage sites. Among his notable heritage projects were the restoration of Vajdahunyad Castle in Transylvania and the Church of the Assumption in Mariasdorf (now in Burgenland). His most ambitious restoration was that of the Cathedral of Košice. According to art historian József Sisa, Steindl’s passion for neo-Gothicism found its fullest expression in heritage restoration. At the time, the boundary between architecture and restoration was not clearly drawn, and reconstruction allowed considerable artistic freedom. Architects could reconstruct deteriorated buildings as they saw fit—even at the cost of the original appearance. In Košice, Steindl created a much more ornate and complete structure than had existed previously.

The Hungarian Parliament Building

On February 1, 1883, a competition was announced for the design of a parliament to house both houses of the National Assembly and the so-called Delegation—a mixed legislative body of Austrian and Hungarian delegates. Among the 19 entrants were renowned architects such as Alajos Hauszmann, Albert Schickedanz, and Otto Wagner. Steindl submitted a design and shared first prize with three others. His concept was based on orienting the building parallel to the Danube, resulting in an exceptionally long structure.

In March 1885, Steindl signed a detailed contract to oversee the architectural direction of the parliament’s construction. Contrary to expectations, not all plans were finalized at this point. Construction began on October 12, 1885. The building rests on a single continuous concrete slab with an average thickness of two meters. Its floor plan is a long rectangle, with a projecting central risalit housing the main staircase. The House of Lords is located in the northern wing, and the House of Representatives in the southern wing—both flanked by four corner towers. The symbolic unity of the legislature is expressed by the central dome.

During construction, 69 contractors and artisans worked with approximately 1,000 laborers. Steindl maintained strict oversight of the project, supported by a staff of about thirty in his architectural office. Technically, the building is 268 meters long, 123 meters at its widest, and has a floor area of 17,754.5 square meters. The dome rises to 96 meters. It includes 10 courtyards, 27 gates, and 691 rooms. Notably, it was the first building in Europe with a district heating system, and it features 14 elevators and 112 clocks.

In terms of decoration, Steindl emphasized sculpture. Though 450 statues were planned, 242 were actually installed—90 on the exterior and 152 inside. These figures represent key figures in Hungarian history, creating the country’s largest national pantheon.

The building was in use before its official inauguration. On June 8, 1896, during the millennium celebrations, the first ceremonial session of the National Assembly was held in the still-unfinished building. Despite the project’s scale, its completion in 1902 received little media attention. Reactions focused more on criticism—particularly the vivid colors, excessive gilding, and artificial marble surfaces.

How Much Was It Worth?

In 2010, a real estate portal conducted an intriguing thought experiment: what would the Parliament building be worth today? According to a summary by Steindl’s assistant Károly Csányi published in 1902, the total construction cost was 37,185,945.71 crowns. While it's difficult to compare that directly to modern mega-projects, estimates using current construction costs valued the building at 160 billion forints, with its symbolic value being considered at least double that amount.

TÉ

translated by László Gönczi

Sources:

https://mult-kor.hu

Sisa József: Steindl Imre. In: Magyar Építőművészet, 31(1982) 5. sz. 58–59. p.

Török András, Wachsler Tamás: A nevezetes magyar Országház és a tér, ahol áll, Országház Könyvkiadó, 2015.