From October 20 to 23, the Palace of Justice on Kossuth Square in Budapest is inviting visitors to take part in its first-ever guided tour. The occasion is a historic one—130 years ago, in the Millennium Year of 1896, this magnificent building across from the Hungarian Parliament was officially opened.
The enormous public interest was already evident in the run-up to the event.
Spots for the 55-minute tours, limited to groups of 30, were completely booked in less than an hour.
Visitors will see a reconstruction that sets new standards in terms of attention to detail and craftsmanship. Among the highlights of the tour is the monumental central hall with its restored ceiling frescoes by Károly Lotz. A particularly symbolic moment is the return of the Justitia statue by sculptor Alajos Strobl. After a 70-year absence, the sculpture once again stands in its original historic location.
In addition, the tour includes the magnificent banquet hall with furniture faithfully reconstructed to match the originals, two elaborately restored, historically protected courtrooms, and a state-of-the-art courtroom equipped with the latest court technology.
During a press tour on Tuesday, Minister of Transportation and Investment Dávid Vitézy emphasized the uniqueness of this moment in history.
Once the building is fully operational again as the country’s highest court, such tours will hardly be possible—at that point, “entirely different security standards” will apply.
Photo: MTI/Balogh Zoltán
Due to high demand, the minister announced that further opportunities for the public would be created before the building’s final opening, possibly around the time of Budapest’s city anniversary. For now, however, the focus is on the schedule. The goal is to hand over the complex to the Kúria, Hungary’s highest judicial court, responsible for ensuring the uniform application of law across the country’s courts, on a turnkey basis in early 2027.
The project has a checkered history. After its opening in 1896, the building served the judiciary for decades before, starting in 1974, it housed the Museum of Ethnography. The decision to undertake a comprehensive reconstruction was made in 2016 under the previous government and began under the direction of Tamás Wachsler.
Following preliminary heritage conservation surveys between 2019 and 2021, as well as initial demolition and stabilization work in 2022, the actual construction work began in May 2023. In the fall of 2026, the TISZA government decided to consolidate all departments of the Kúria within the building, which required an adjustment to the renovation plans.
Upon completion, the building will be transferred directly from the Ministry and the Steindl-Imre Program to the asset management of the Supreme Court.
The office of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated on Tuesday that they are proud of the restoration of historic buildings throughout the country.
The comprehensive renovation of the Palace of Justice is a milestone for Hungary’s architectural heritage and for Kossuth Square as a whole.
The renovation was urgently needed as the monument showed significant water damage. The heating and electrical systems were completely outdated, and the distinctive limestone facades were severely deteriorated. Based on meticulous archival research, the building was restored to its original historical condition.
Photo: Péter Lakatos/MTI
At the same time, modern elements were incorporated. A contemporary judges’ club was created in the renovated attic, which will serve as a specialized library as well as a lecture and training center.
The scale of the project illustrates the enormous effort behind the scenes:
- A net total of 41.5 billion forint (114 million euros) was invested in the reconstruction project.
- Across 23,254 square meters of usable space, 409 workstations are being created, complemented by twelve consultation rooms and ten courtrooms.
- The restorers repaired or faithfully reproduced 26 sculptures, 11 tiled stoves, 338 historically protected doors, and 454 windows.
- More than 6,000 square meters of terrazzo floors, 830 square meters of glass surfaces, and 214 square meters of the famous Lotz Secco murals were meticulously restored.
Currently, the project is nearly 90 percent complete. A phased move-in is scheduled to begin in January, while the official handover is planned for March 2027.
Usually closed to the public, the Palace opened its doors for preparations for an upcoming film shoot, giving Hungary Today a rare opportunity to step inside. Continue reading
Via MTI; Featured photo: MTI/Lakatos Péter
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