3 Beautiful Libraries You Need To Visit In Hungary
There is no more perfect place for quiet reading, deep study or deep research, than a library. Digital revolution here or there, more and more people are coming back to flip through books they can't find online or simply to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Budapest is lucky on this front, as several of the world's most beautiful libraries are located here, some of which are also protected as historical monuments.
The Central Library of the Fővárosi Ervin Szabó Library
1081 Budapest, Szabó Ervin tér 1.
Perhaps not everyone knows that this library is a must-visit when you are looking for the most beautiful reading rooms in the city. The library operates in the building of the former Wenckheim Palace, which was built in the late 1880s based on the plans of Artúr Meinig. You can start the tour to the right of the main entrance, here is the wonderful caryatid of János Fadrusz, whose miners seem to carry the weight of the entire building on their shoulders. In 1927, the palace became the property of the Metropolitan Council, and in 1931 the library moved into the impressive neobaroque building, which was beautifully restored during a large-scale renovation. The reading rooms of the Fővárosi Szabó Ervin Library have different styles: for example, the dark brown room with the spiral staircase was a smoking room at the time, the golden room (with the six golden birds decorating the ceiling) was originally the domain of the mistress of the house, the master of the house lived in the silver room, and there is another a long ballroom and a special room decorated with wood carvings - all of them are part of the library and can therefore be visited. There are probably few reading rooms in the world that could compete with these. The library, which has more than 1 million volumes, was named after Ervin Szabó, who created Budapest's public library network. The network running under the name FSZEK has many member libraries.
Address: 1088 Budapest, Szabó Ervin tér 1.
Visit: To visit the library, you must purchase a visitor's ticket or register. Guided tours are also
available by prior arrangement for a small participation fee.
Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
1051 Budapest, Széchenyi István tér 9.
The Hungarian Academy of Sciences also has three reading rooms that are must-see. Although the MTA's central library was established in the 1820s, the institution only moved to its current building in Arany János Street in the 1980s due to lack of space. The library has a classicist style, with a perfect view of the Danube from some of its windows. The building designed by Miklós Ybl, in which the library is located today, was once a residential building, and after a significant renovation, the core collection of the MTA library was moved here. The respectable collection also includes such ancient pieces as one of the original issues of the Pesti Napló from 1867. The second interesting
library is in the MTA building, so it can be approached from Széchenyi tér: here, pieces of the Eastern Collection are lined up on the shelves. The reading room has been in operation since the 1950s, and its decorations are inspired by Islamic motifs. We have to climb the main staircase for the last library - this is another special collection of the Academy, the Manuscript Library and Old Books Collection, whose window looks out onto a huge tree in an inner courtyard.
Address: 1051 Budapest, Arany János utca 1.
Visiting: The central library is open to everyone. The special collections are open to the public on a
limited basis.
Parliamentary Library
1055 Budapest, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3.
Probably one of the most beautiful libraries not only in the city, but also in the country. The Parliament is located on the Danube side, so researchers can also see the river while reading, if they are not too busy with what they are reading. The character of the place is given by richly decorated interiors, ceiling-high bookshelves (the highest of which can only be reached through the gallery) and furniture that perfectly complements the overall picture. The library is open to the public, anyone can come into study or search the not-so-small collection, but don't expect to stumble upon politicians, because they mostly use the books of another room. The library moved to its current location in 1902 and, like the Parliament, it was also designed by Imre Steindl. Some of the decorative elements and motifs of the library are echoed in other parts of the building, the carved roses adorning the ceiling can be seen, for example, in the Hunting Room of the Parliament. The shelves, window frames and several pieces of furniture are original pieces from the early 1900s. In addition to works on legal, political, historical and literary topics, the library also contains volumes
dealing with other scientific fields, and there is even a separate UN and EU collection. What we liked the most is that all the historical documents of the Parliament can be found here, dating back to 1580.
Address: Budapest, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3.
Nora, OLS Community Manager – Hungarian