Hungarian Parliament Tour, Budapest

The most famous image of Hungary is likely the imposing late 19th century gothic Hungarian House of Parliament on the Danube River in Budapest. The Hungarian Parliament Tour is one of my top recommendations in Budapest. The surprising gilded baroque interiors are open for tours. The House of Parliament is home to the National Assembly, Hungary’s legislature. The Prime Minister’s office is currently located there as well.

Tours meet at the modern visitor center, and start with a climb through the gold-plated City Side Staircase.

Next, our tour stopped at the beautiful Grand Staircase. The beautiful main entryway for dignitaries leads to the main Dome Hall. Although it is the most dramatic and stunning part of the building, photos are prohibited for security reasons as the crown jewels are housed directly beneath the dome.

Next we went through the Lounge of the Chamber of Peers, filled with national Hungarian art.

The lounge leads to the former Chamber of Peers, now used for meetings and conferences.

Even the hallways outside the Chamber are spectacular with high arches and columns.

Made for mingling outside the meetings, all the window sills were originally designed with special cigar holders.

Even on a rainy day, the building offers scenic views across the Danube.

Details

House of Parliament Tour times depend on the time of year, and are more restricted when the National Assembly is in session. Check times here.

A lot of tour companies offer tours, but it is much less expensive to book on your own. The visitor center does not offer advance tickets, but it is easy to book online. The only issue we had was that the tour time was one hour earlier than the one selected. Just make sure to double check the time and be flexible.

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