Festetics Palace, Hall of Mirrors

Festetics Palace

Budapeste, Hungria

After careful and detailed renovation, the Festetics Palace opened its gates to the public in fall 2003. The Palace – which was designed by the prominent Hungarian architect Miklós Ybl – stands in the heart of Budapest, in a part formerly known as magnate‐district. It neighbours such buildings and institutes as the National Museum, the Szabó Ervin Library, and the Italian Cultural Institute.

The façade of the Palace incorporates classical architectural elements popular in the 19th century, evoking the style of some the most beautiful Italian palazzi. The impressive façade is complimented by a magnificent interior. The chambers on the first floor still breathe the atmosphere of the 19th century aristocratic life in Hungary. The Mirror Gallery is named after the exclusive mirrors manufactured in Venice, and still has the original parquet floor with decorative inlays. The surrounding rooms with their splendid tapestries and supraporte paintings, as well as the inner courtyard, kept the spirit of past times.