Seven years after the unification of Buda, Pest and Óbuda, in 1880. State Assembly decided to build a parliament building to emphasise the sovereignty of the Hungarian nation. A competition was announced, which was won by the architect Imre Steindl, but some ideas of two other bidders were also realised - in the building of the Ethnographic Museum and in the building of the Ministry of Agriculture. Construction began in 1885, and the first session of the State Assembly was held in the building in 1896, during the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Homeland. The Parliament was not completed until 1906. It should be noted that by the time the construction was completed, the architect of the project had gone blind.
The Parliament building, one of the symbols of Budapest, is built in an eclectic style, with elements of Neo-Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance. The grand staircase with frescoes by Károly Lotz leads the visitor to the 27 metre high domed hall. Since 1 January 2000, the Holy Crown of Hungary and coronation regalia have rested here.
