When planning a walking route through Budapest, be sure to include a visit to Liberty Square, where three magnificent buildings stand: the Hungarian Television and Radio Company, the U.S. Embassy, and the country's National Bank. And in the center of this square stands a monument to Soviet soldiers.
Notably, the buildings of the Hungarian National Bank and the Television and Radio Company, which formerly housed the Stock Exchange, were designed by the same architect, Ignac Alpar. These buildings are considered among his finest works. In the design of the bank's facade, he used Greco-Roman and ancient Eastern elements. Massive columns, bas-reliefs, and statues - all of this perfectly emphasizes the solidity and grandeur of the building.
What other architects called excessively ornate was perceived by bankers and economists as a tribute to and elevation of their profession. As a result, many other financial institutions were later entrusted to Ignac Alpar. After all, he managed to erect a building that not only met all safety standards, but also turned out to be very beautiful in appearance.
In 2005, the Hungarian National Bank issued a commemorative coin in honor of the 150th anniversary of Ignac Alpar's birth. It is made of silver and has a denomination of 5000 forints.
