Stefánia út

Now we are approaching the Stefánia(or Stephanie) road. Actually, this road is the extension of the Andrássy avenue, from the city park and it was built in the early of the 20. century, as a brown-stone district(villa district). Nowdays, many embassys can be found here (like at the Andrássy avenue), and that’s why we also called this area the 2. district of diplomatics. The first one is near to Hero’s square. The road was named after by the belgian princess Stephanie,wife of Rudolph Habsburg. Stephanie married with prince Rudolph,when she was only 17 years old. If you look to the right you can see the Ukranian embassy. On your left, you can see this fancy building with a globe on the top of it. This is the Hungarian State Geological Institute. As you see it is very colorfully decorated and unique sight,and it was built in secession style.The building was designed by the most famous representative of the hungarian novueau Ödön Lechner,and built between 1898-99.On both sides of the road you see elegant,old fashioned villas which serve as embassies and apartments.These embassies like the Italian,Swiss,Libian,Swedish and the Romanian.The modern building on our left with  dark windows is the summer club of the Hungarian army.If you have a look to the left,you see the Stephanie Palace.This building was built in eclectic style and it was designed by Artur Meining.Originally,this palace founded by Béla Atzél, and it’s called Park Club, a place for organize concerts,outings and balls.Currently the palace is the cultural centre of the hungarian army.It has got 2 floors with ballrooms which can receive 500-600 persons.A little bit further, you can see the villa of György Zala,which was built in 1901 by Ödön Lechner,Zoltán Bálint and Louie Jámbor(secession style).György Zala was a famous hungarian sculptor,and he mainly made memorials, shrines and portraits.Above the entrance of the villa, there is an embossment which shows the celebration of Venus at the Olumposz,and it was made in Zsolnay garnet.There was also an atelier of György Zala, but nothing remains from this.Today the Sirian embassy workings here.Behind the corner, on your right you can see a huge, light-yellow building, that is the Institute of Blind, where sightless people can give sociable accomodation and rehabilitation.