Did you know this building has over 20 kilometers of stairs inside?
It is the Parliament Building in Hungary.
But that's only one of the many architectural wonders of Hungary.
Here are more and a few that may just shock you. 🧵
1. St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest
This grand neoclassical church houses the mummified right hand of Hungary’s first king, St. Stephen.
Climb its dome for a 360° panorama of Budapest that will take your breath away.
2. Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest
Looks like a fairytale castle, but it was built in 1902 purely as a viewing terrace.
Its whimsical towers offer enchanting views of the city.
3. Parliament Building, Budapest
A Gothic Revival masterpiece reflecting in the Danube, it’s the third largest parliament building in the world.
4. Matthias Church, Budapest
The colorful tiled roof steals the show, but inside, this 700-year-old church hosted royal coronations, including King Charles IV, the last Habsburg monarch.
5. Archdiocese Library of Eger, Eger
One of Hungary's oldest libraries, this hidden gem in Eger houses over 160,000 volumes, including rare manuscripts and maps.
The library's ornate frescoed ceilings make it a haven for history and art lovers alike.
6. Pannonhalma Archabbey, Pannonhalma
One of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, this abbey was founded in 996 AD.
Its library holds over 400,000 rare books.
7. Szeged Cathedral, Szeged
This neo-Romanesque cathedral was built as a promise to God after a devastating flood in 1879.
Its vast interior is a jaw-dropping mosaic of colors.
8. Buda Castle, Budapest
Once home to Hungarian kings, it hides a labyrinth of caves beneath it.
The eerie underground network was used as a hospital during World War II.
9. Esztergom Basilica, Esztergom
Hungary's largest church boasts a dome that towers 100 meters high.
Climb up for a view spanning three countries!
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10. Debrecen Reformed Church, Debrecen
The “Calvinist Rome” features Hungary's largest Protestant church.
Its twin towers dominate the flat Great Plain landscape.
11. Gödöllő Palace, Gödöllő
This baroque gem was a favorite retreat of Empress Elisabeth (“Sisi”).
Its lavish halls hosted some of Europe’s most dazzling balls.
12. Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest
Not just stunning architecture—this neo-Baroque bathhouse is also one of the largest medicinal spas in Europe.
But here is something you may not know.
Budapest' lies on a fault line where the Buda Hills meet the Great Hungarian Plain, creating an extensive network of thermal springs.
These springs feed the city's famous baths, like the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Gellért Baths, and Rudas Baths, which have been enjoyed for centuries.
The Romans first built bathhouses here, but it was during Ottoman rule that the tradition truly flourished, leaving behind architectural gems like the Király and Rudas Baths.
Budapest's thermal heritage is both a natural and cultural marvel.
13. Kecskemét Town Hall, Kecskemét
This Art Nouveau wonder has a façade that seems to dance with floral motifs.
The uniquely Hungarian style is a surprise delight.
14. Tokaj Wine Cellars, Tokaj
The region famous for its sweet Tokaji wine has centuries-old underground cellars.
Some are carved into volcanic rock, creating a perfect natural wine cooler.
15. Great Synagogue (Szeged Synagogue), Budapest
A dazzling fusion of Art Nouveau and Moorish Revival styles, the Szeged Synagogue is Hungary’s second-largest synagogue and one of Europe’s most beautiful.
Its intricate stained-glass windows and stunning blue dome create a serene atmosphere, while the acoustics make it a popular venue for concerts.
16. Sopron Firewatch Tower, Sopron
This medieval tower, symbolizing the “most loyal town,” has been guarding the city since the 12th century. Its spiral staircase reveals layers of history.
17. Pécs Cathedral, Pécs
A mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles, this cathedral stands on the site of an ancient Roman forum.
Its crypts still hold secrets from antiquity.
18. Hollókő Old Village, Hollókő
A UNESCO site, this perfectly preserved village feels like stepping into the 17th century.
Its residents still follow centuries-old traditions.
Hungary's architecture is full of surprises and stories.
Which of these gems would you visit first?
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Baroque art dazzles the eye.
But dazzling was never the goal.
It was built for survival.
When the Protestant Reformation emptied pews, the Catholic Church fought back, not with arguments, but with performance that made people flood back into its churches… 🧵
In 1652, Bernini unveiled The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa in Rome.
A marble saint in rapture, an angel poised with a golden spear.
It’ was theatre in stone, designed to make you feel divine presence.
This was the Counter-Reformation’s strategy:
If sermons couldn’t bring people back, spectacle would.
Art became persuasion.
Every detail aimed to make the viewer part of the sacred drama.
Milan’s cathedral took 600 years to complete… But that's not the most remarkable part about it.
More interesting is how it was built and the secrets of its design.
When a design competition took place in 1391, it wasn't an architect who won, but a mathematician... 🧵
Gabriele Stornaloco was a mathematician from Piacenza.
His fix? Overlay the entire plan with equilateral triangles, hexagons, and squares, creating a clear, stable framework the masons could follow without argument.
Stornaloco’s diagram wasn’t a solution the masons lacked, rather it was a validation they needed, proof that their instincts could be backed by a geometric framework, pleasing to scholars and satisfying to the city’s elite.
The trouble began 5 years earlier.
Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti wanted Milan to rival Paris and Rome.
He rejected the local Lombard Romanesque style for the new French Rayonnant Gothic.
You think you know the story of Cinderella, but do you really?
Cinderella has been told in Europe for centuries, but it's way older than that in other traditions.
It’s at least 1,200 years old and it comes from China... 🧵
Her name was Yexian.
She wasn’t European.
And her story might be the most complete early Cinderella we have, yet almost no one outside China knows it exists.
Most people think it is written by Charles Perrault, The Brothers Grimm, or Disney.
Almost a 1000 years before Europeans, the Tang Dynasty recorded Yexian’s story in southern China. It was told by the Zhuang people, a culture with its own festivals, textiles, and spiritual beliefs. .
Her life begins with loss.
Mother gone.
Father, a tribal chief, dead.
Her stepmother takes control, treating her like a servant, sending her to fetch water from deep wells and gather wood on dangerous cliffs.