The history of the Klotild Palaces

The mirror-symmetrical buildings standing on the wedge-shaped plots bought nearly one hundred and thirty years ago by Archduchess Klotild Mária, wife of Archduke József Károly, were completed by 1902 to the designs of Flóris Korb (1860–1930) and Kálmán Giergl (1863–1954), the well-known architect duo of the turn of the century – who created lasting work in numerous styles, who at the dawn of their careers also contributed to the birth of the New York Palace and the Buda Castle Palace, and who, besides numerous villas, are credited with the Eiffel Palace, the Academy of Music and the former Luxus Department Store on Vörösmarty Square – raising a curious duality into the heart of the inner city: on their outer façades the features of Neo-Baroque dominate, and in their interiors those of an ever-strengthening Art Nouveau (Secession).

The buildings, which for a hundred years housed flats and offices and whose lower levels were home to the spaces of the Belvárosi Kávéház, were taken to the public’s heart at once; indeed, the building rules were rewritten partly thanks to them: in early 1901 first József Pucher (1836–1904), then Korb and Giergl too asked the capital to change the hitherto strictly enforced regulation under which buildings in Budapest could be at most four storeys high, with the mezzanine (half-storey) also counted in that. The Council of Public Works gave the request the green light in the spring of the same year.

Like the American skyscrapers of the time, the iron-framed palaces were built by the most important artists and construction firms of the turn of the century: the glass windows in Miksa Róth’s workshop, the stoves and architectural ceramics at the Zsolnay factory, the chandeliers at the works of Henrik Giergl, father of one of the architects, and the wrought- and cast-iron work, among others, in the Forreider and Schiller workshops and in the Schlick Iron Foundry, then operating at 45–47 Váci út (its only surviving hall was recently incorporated into a new office building).

The buildings can also record a serious first: the country’s first lifts appeared here, supplied by the American Otis company as the only foreign contributor to the construction.

The History of the Budapest Klotild Palaces

The Klotild Palaces are among Budapest’s most outstanding architectural works, standing in the heart of the city, on Ferenciek tere. The history of the twin palaces goes back more than a century, and they have served as the venue of many important historical and cultural events.

The Beginnings

The story begins in the late 1890s, when Budapest was developing dynamically and increasingly becoming a world city. Because of the city’s growing traffic and transport needs, it became necessary to build new bridges over the Danube. Act XIV of 1893 prescribed the construction of two new bridges, the Fővám tér and Eskü tér bridges. While the Fővám tér Bridge (later Franz Joseph, today Liberty Bridge) was realised relatively easily, building the Eskü tér (today Március 15. tér) bridge posed many challenges because of the narrow streets and the historic inner city.

The Transformation of Eskü tér

Eskü tér (“Oath Square”) got its name from the coronation oath of Franz Joseph I, which he took in 1867 in front of the capital’s parish church. The square was one of the most important sites of inner Pest, where the Piarist monastery and school and the old Pest Town Hall also stood. To build the new bridge, Kerepesi út (today Rákóczi út) was led out to Eskü tér, and many buildings were demolished. Only the parish church remained, owing to lack of funds.

The Construction of the Palaces

The vacated plots were among the most valuable areas of the city and passed into the possession of the ruling family. Archduchess Klotild Mária, wife of Archduke József Károly, wished to see luxurious buildings on the plots. The architectural plans were drawn up by Flóris Korb and Kálmán Giergl, the well-known architect duo of the turn of the century, who had also made their name with the New York Palace and the Buda Castle Palace. The twin palaces in English Baroque style served as one of the gateways of the city beside the bridge under construction.

Details of the Construction

Numerous contemporary advances were used in building the palaces. The ground-floor and mezzanine parts were built with an iron structure, clad in carved stone. On the first floor, rooms for associations and societies were created with greater ceiling heights, while the second and third floors housed rental flats, heated with Zsolnay tiled stoves and equipped with Budapest’s first lifts. The corner towers of the buildings are 48 metres high and are adorned with copies of archducal crowns.

The Later History of the Palaces

The southern Klotild Palace is also called the Matild Palace in Pest colloquial speech, although there is no historical source for this. The famous Belvárosi Kávéház also opened here. The heritage renovation of the northern palace was carried out in 2003 by an Italian company, which turned it into a hotel. The Buddha Bar Hotel still operates here today. The southern palace was recently bought by a Turkish company, and its heritage renovation is already under way, after which it will operate as a luxury hotel.

The Significance of the Buildings

On the outer façades of the Klotild Palaces the features of Neo-Baroque, and in their interiors those of an ever-strengthening Art Nouveau (Secession), dominate. The most important artists and construction firms of the period contributed to their construction, among them the glass windows of Miksa Róth, the ceramics and stoves of the Zsolnay factory, as well as the chandeliers of Henrik Giergl and the wrought-iron work of the Schlick Iron Foundry. The buildings can also boast the country’s first lifts, supplied by the American Otis company.

The Klotild Palaces are not only outstanding examples of Budapest’s architectural heritage but also defining elements of the city’s historical and cultural life. Thanks to the heritage renovations they can shine again in their former splendour and continue to play an important role in the life of Budapest.