Buda Castle’s 2nd largest dome almost ready – PHOTOS

The 2nd largest dome in the Buda Castle on the top of the Headquarters of the Hungarian Defence Forces (Honvéd Főparancsnokság) under reconstruction will soon be ready.

Buda Castle’s 2nd largest dome is almost ready

According to the official Facebook page of the National Hauszmann Programme, the structure of the Headquarters of the Hungarian Defence Forces is ready, and the 2nd biggest dome of the Buda Castle on top of the building will also be ready soon. Based on the post, the construction team completed the steel support of the dome, installed the glass elements and finished the roof covering.

The most challenging task was to re-create the four griffin statues holding the lantern on the top of the dome. The spelter-made ornaments are placed on the four corners of the dome, weighing several hundred kilos, each being almost three metres wide. The gryphons were remade following archive photos and placed on a steel structure attached to the dome. Their material and design help them withstand even the most extreme weather conditions.

As ancient mythical creatures, gryphons symbolise strength, courage, and vigilance. The creatures have eagle heads, wings and claws, while their legs and tails resemble a lion. The gryphons of the building are portrayed with outstretched wings and tongues, symbolising that they protect their nest and deter all uninvited intruders.

The new building will house the military museum

Work is in progress on the Szent György Square side of the Headquarters of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The cladding of the southern facade of the building will begin soon, which will be the most spectacular phase of the reconstruction.

The original headquarters, designed by architect Mór Kallina, and the defence ministry building integrated into it were severely but not fatally damaged during the WWII Soviet siege of Budapest. However, restoration did not occur. The Communist regime decided to dismantle the headquarters building to the first floor while they razed to the ground the ministry building.

As part of the National Hauszmann Programme, the new headquarters will be open for visitors, housing the Institute and Museum of Military History. Its rebuilt dome will serve as a lookout point, offering a panoramic view for visitors.

Here is what the new building will look like:

Read also:

• Beautiful palace with the biggest dome being rebuilt in the Buda Castle – photos and details HERE
• Historic revival: Buda Castle District transformed by National Hauszmann Programme – PHOTOS and details in THIS article