Merry Christmas!

The most beautiful Parliament in the world revisited while the protesters against the "slave law" were on Christmas vacation...

The Chamber of Peers

Merry Christmas!

Magyar Állami Operaház

Hungarian State Opera House (Magyar Állami Operaház) is a lavish neo-Renaissance opera house that is originally known as the Hungarian Royal Opera House. It is the second-largest opera house located on Andrássy Avenue. 

For those who are into opera performances, ongoing programs, and the history of the hose, please visit HP. Since this is a photoblog, I'd stress more on the stunning interior view.

Auditorium

In front of the building are statues of Ferenc Erkel and Franz Liszt. Liszt is the best-known Hungarian composer. Erkel composed the Hungarian national anthem, and was the first music director of the Opera House; he was also the founder of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra.

façade

The opera house was designed by the Hungarian architect Mikós Ybl, whereas the Baroque ornamentation, sweeping marble staircases, frescoed ceilings, vast chandeliers, rich velvets, and gilded tiers of seats in the auditorium were mainly contributed by Hungarian painters, Bertalan Székely, Károly Lotz and Mór Than.

Ticket counter

Construction began in 1875, funded by the city of Budapest and by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary. The new house opened with great fanfare on September 27, 1884. In the 1970s the state of the building prompted the Hungarian State to order a major renovation which eventually began in 1980 and lasted till 1984. The reopening was held exactly 100 years after the original opening, on 27th September 1984.

Foyer

As soon as entering the building, you notice that, in its beauty and the quality of acoustics, the Opera House is considered to be amongst the finest opera houses in the world. The foyer is supported by nine marble columns. The vaulted ceiling is covered in murals by Bertalan Székely and Mór Than. They depict the nine Muses.

Grand staircase

A vast, sweeping staircase was an important element of the opera house as it allowed ladies to show off their new gowns. This is the meeting point where the guided tour starts.

Feszty Bar

Feszty bar (Opera Cafe) is the place to enjoy booze and light meals before, during or after the show. The bar is flanked by corridors that used to be the place for smoking in the past...

Royal staircase

The royal staircase is a private entrance from the carriage ramp in Dalszínház street leading to the parlors on the first floor. This somehow reminds me of Ceremonial Stair Hall in Hungarian National Assembly (see this entry)...

Two bronze statues and portraits are exhibited there.

Auditorium -  a view from the VIP room on the second floor

The biggest attraction of the tour is, needless to say, the horseshoe-shaped, three-floored auditorium!!! Rich in gold red colors with a stunning fresco in the ceiling, the auditorium is capable of accommodating 1261 audiences.

Boxes

Mikós Ybl’s neo-renaissance palace has remained virtually unchanged in the 130 years since and continues to attract admirers of opera and ballet alike.

Visiting tours with a mini concert (option) in several languages are available here. No need to book in advance. Be there prior to the tour.

Teatr im. Juliusza Słowackiego w Krakowie

Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Kraków is an eye-catching beautiful baroque-style building located in Plac Św. Ducha (Holy Ghost square), close to the Kraków main station (Kraków Główny). The edifice, designed by Jan Zawiejski, is ranked among the most valuable monuments of theatre architecture in Europe. 

Later named after noted Polish poet and playwright Juliusz Słowacki, the theater was modeled after some of the most beautiful venues in Europe and was the first building in Krakow to have electric lighting in 1893!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Wiener Rathaus

Wiener Rathaus is a Neo-Gothic style city hall of Vienna. It is located on Rathausplatz in the Innere Stadt district.

When I visited there, heavy construction was underway and the film festival went on...

The building is covered with a huge screen.

Palais Ferstel

A piece of Italy in the heart of Vienna.

Wherever I'm in a new place, rambling (stumbling?) after sunset and being lured by lit-up pretty buildings like bugs is one of my habits. Italian-flavored building located in the heart of Austria's capital, Vienna caught my attention.

Palais Ferstel is named after Austrian architect, Heinrich von Ferstel (1828-1883), who built the opulent Palais Ferstel in the Venetian/Florentine trecento style. When it's built, it was the most modern style building in the capital where national bank and the stock exchange had resided.

Now the "old-fashioned" building attracts tourists with its stunning view and is regarded as a place to dine out and enjoy booze in this amazing atmosphere.

Országház - Hungarian National Assembly

The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary. It is located on the bank of the Danube river and is a popular tourist destination in Budapest. The Parliament building is the third largest Parliament building in the world!!! 

The inside of the building is breathtakingly stunning and the interior is jaw-droppingly gorgeous!!!

Ceremonial Stair Hall

It is 265 meters long and 123 meters wide. Its interior includes 10 courtyards, 19 passenger and freight elevators, 29 gates, 27 staircases, and 691 rooms (including more than 200 offices). 

Ceremonial Stair Hall

With its height of 96 meters, it is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest, along with Saint Stephen's Basilica. The number 96 refers to the nation's millennium, 1896, and the conquest of the later Kingdom of Hungary in 896. 

The construction of the Parliament building began in 1885. The following year, the country inaugurated its 1000th anniversary in 1896. The construction was completed in 1904. Forty million bricks were used in the building process as well as half a million precious stones and 40 kilograms of GOLD!!! 

Lounge of the Chamber of Representatives

The Parliament Building is in the Gothic Revival style. The building is structured symmetrically, consisting of two absolutely identical parliament halls out of which one is used for politics, and the other one is used for guided tours, conferences, and other political activities. While moving from one room to the others, the sense of direction gets easily lost... The dome, located in the center of the symmetry, is Renaissance Revival architecture. 

Lounge of the Chambers of Peers

Before 2014, Hungary's (blended) electoral system was among the most complicated in Europe; it saw the election of Members of the National Assembly six times as of 1990. The system was reformed by Act CCII of 2011 on the Election of Members of the National Assembly with provisions first implemented during the 2014 general elections. That spring, Hungarian citizens elected 199 Members of Parliament (106 MPs from single-member constituencies and 93 MPs from party lists) to a four-year term, voting directly by secret ballot based on universal and equal suffrage.

The Dome Hall

At the heart of the symmetrical building, located is the hexadecagonal (sixteen-sided) central Dome Hall. There you witness the Holy Crown of Hungary (also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen) that has been displayed there since 2000. The Holy Crown has been stolen, hidden, lost, recovered, and taken abroad many times!!!

Holy Crown of Hungary

If you are interested in visiting there, information is available here. 

It is utterly worth visiting!!! Highly recommended.

At last, I would like to acknowledge Ms. Struve for her generous guidance!!!

New York Kávéház in Budapest

New York cafe (Kávéház in Hungarian) is said to be the most beautiful and most beloved coffee house in Budapest, Hungary. 

Do I agree with that?

Yes. It looks like a museum in Italy!

It used to be the popular salon among (snobbish) creators.

It has an American name, and Italian design, serving the multicultural cuisine of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. 

Classic dishes like Beef Goulash, Fishermen Soup, Chicken Leg Paprikash-style, Wiener Schnitzel, and Grilled Foie Gras are served along with famous desserts such as Dobos, Sacher, and Eszterházy cake.

The menu is available here.

Live orchestra music is awaiting you.

The café is part of Boscolo Budapest, a five-star hotel.

National Assembly of Serbia

The National Assembly of The Republic of Serbia (ародна скупштина / Narodna skupština in Serbian) is the unicameral legislature of Serbia. The assembly is composed of 250 proportionally elected deputies by secret ballot, on 4 years term. 

The building is located on Nikola Pašić Square in downtown Belgrade and is a notable landmark and tourist attraction in the city.

Between its completion in 1938 and 2006, it was the seat of the Parliament of Yugoslavia and later the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro.

The house looks nicer at night when it's lit up!

Olomouc Town Hall

Zoom-Zoom-Zoom while the shutter is open...

Bizarre Sky In York

I've lived in New York for 3 years but this was my first time visiting York in England... 

Clifford's Tower at night

I rambled downtown and spent time in York Castle (commonly referred to as Clifford's Tower).

York Castle Museum at night

It was an almost full moon when I was there and the sky was covered with the bizarre shape of clouds.

Clifford's Tower at dusk

Museu da Electricidade

Photos taken in Belém (Lisbon) continue...

The electricity Museum was established in 1990. After going through rehabilitation, buildings and interiors were renovated in 2006. Since then visitors can experience and enjoy various cultural and scientific exhibits as part of the museum's initiatives to make science more fun and exciting. The permanent exhibition shows original machinery and educational spaces with demonstrations that can entertain visitors of all ages. 

When I got there, the museum was already closed, however, this was the first building that caught my attention while taking the tram. It is located just in front of a tram stop.

It's free of charge, and opens from 10 AM to 6 PM (closed on Monday).

Torre de Belém

Happy New Year!

The 1st entry of 2015 is from Lisbon. The photos were taken during my Christmas vacation in my beloved country, Portugal!

Torre de Belém is located in the southwesternmost civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém in the municipality of Lisbon. Belém is derived from the Portuguese word for Bethlehem. 

Along with Jerónimous Monastery, the Tower of Belém is registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tower was built on a small island in the Tagus River near the Lisbon shore in the Age of Discoveries.

I enjoyed what the parish of Belém has to offer. There are numerous architectures and places for shooting - Padrao dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries), Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (National Archaeology Museum), Museum da Marinha (Navy Museum), Centro Cultural de Belém (Cultural Centre of Belém), Museu da Electricidade (Electricity Museum) and so on...  

Image from Wiki

Pastel de nata (egg tart pastry) was very yummy, BTW! It is a "must-visit" shop! 

Powder Tower At Night

I find it more interesting to ramble in Prague downtown at night. It's still safe, lots of drunk tourists are there and light-ups are everywhere.

The 65 m tall Powder Tower is one of my favorite buildings in Prague.

Ostrava - Vitkovice

I visited the 3rd largest city in the Czech Republic, Ostrava, located in the northeastern area that is close to the Polish border. I was there just to take photos of the National cultural landmark, including the Hlubina coral mine, coking plant, and blast furnaces. They are located in Vítkovice. 

Although it was only a night stay there, I visited twice - daytime and at night. When buildings were lit up after the sunset, they looked like Moon bases. When I got off the tram at Vítkovice vys. pece, I immediately fell in love with the area!!! The view was just breathtaking.

When I was there, there was an opera concert taking place. I am not sure if you can see an audience in the photo below. As I did not have a ticket I could not walk around during the concert... Well, I should not complain because I could take photos by listening to opera songs like BGM. It was free of charge.

Although I haven't explored the Czech Republic thoroughly yet, Vitkovice is by far my favorite place! I promised myself to visit there once again, expecting that there is no more events.

This is Our World Tuesday entry.