A 1 km walk through the banking quarter behind Parliament, from Vidor's Bedő House via Alpár's twin palaces on Liberty Square to Lechner's Postal Savings Bank, the key building of Hungarian szecesszió, and an 1890s market hall. Short enough to add to the Parliament visit. No overlap with the existing routes.
Best time: Daytime, sunny: the Zsolnay roof tiles of the Postal Savings Bank are best seen in bright light
The route, stop by stop
- 1Bedő House
Emil Vidor's Art Nouveau apartment house of 1903 for Béla Bedő at Honvéd utca 3, a few steps from Parliament; it houses the Magyar Szecesszió Háza (House of Hungarian Art Nouveau). 10 min outside.
- 2Liberty Square
Ignác Alpár designed both the Hungarian National Bank headquarters on the east side and the former Budapest Stock Exchange opposite, which face each other across the square. 15 min.
- 3Postal Savings Bank (Postatakarékpénztár)
Hold utca 4: Ödön Lechner's Postal Savings Bank head office, opened 1901, now the State Treasury. Look up: Zsolnay ceramic tiles, Hungarian folk motifs and ceramic beehives on the green patterned roof (the savings symbol). Outside view. 10 min.
- 4Hold utca Market Hall (Belvárosi Piac)
Győző Czigler's market hall of 1892-96, one of six built under the Monarchy; renovated in 2014 as the Belvárosi Piac, since summer 2022 it houses the Light Art Museum. 20 min.
More walks in Budapest
- Castle Hill loop: funicular to Vienna Gate
- Danube promenade, Pest side: Parliament to the Great Market Hall
- Andrássy Avenue to Heroes' Square and City Park
- Jewish Quarter: three synagogues
- Gellért Hill climb: Cave Church to the Citadella and Rudas
- Margaret Island loop
- Palotanegyed: the aristocrats' Palace Quarter behind the National Museum
- Wekerletelep: the garden-city estate of Kispest
- Óbuda: baroque square, synagogue, Roman arena and Kiscell
- Felhévíz: rose hill, Gül Baba's tomb and the Ottoman baths
- Buda Hills: Normafa to János-hegy and down by chairlift