Beautiful Budapest: Archduke Joseph’s Palace getting the treatment it deserves
Change language:
The restoration of one of the most striking stages in the rebirth of the Archduke Joseph’s Palace – the installation of its decorative elements – is slowly drawing to a close.
On the western side, the carved keystones adorned with lion heads have been placed in their final positions above the grand, arched windows of the ballroom. The massive ornaments, made of limestone from Süttő, were lifted into place on the façade with the help of a crane.
On the southern side, the “dressing” of the building has already been completed: with the scaffolding removed, another breathtaking section of the palace’s ornamentation has come into view.
The lion-headed brackets, the corner pediments crowned with decorative crests, and the cornices with their elegant series of arches are now all visible. Work on the other sections of the building continues according to the planned schedule, so further façades will soon be unveiled as the scaffolding comes down.
During the reconstruction, various techniques are being used to install the façade’s ornamental elements. The plinth is built using a traditional method, with carved limestone blocks placed on top of each other, while for the upper parts an innovative, modern solution has been adopted.