Városház tér, Székesfehérvár

The Baroque buildings around the Városház tér create a fine picture. The dominant building on the square is the Bishop's Palace, built 1790-1801 from the stones of the medieval basilica. The single story palace was designed by the architect Jakob Rieder in 18th C plait style.

The south side incorporates the town hall which consists of two buildings.

Varoshaz ter Map

The older, somewhat lower Baroque palace (1690), is decorated by an arched gateway made of interwoven columns showing personifications of intelligence and justice, by the Eisenstadt sculptor Thomas Walch (1717). The modern sculpture symbolizing an imperial orb (reference to the historical importance of the town) is by Béla Ohmann (1890-1968). The equestrian figure of Pál Pátzay (1936) commemorates Székesfehérvár's famous regiment of hussars. Diagonally opposite the town hall, on the corner of Városház tér and Jókai utca, is Hiemer House (around 1770). Despite its poor condition it is one of the most impressive Baroque buildings in the town. Fine details of the façade include the stucco decoration of the corner oriel window on mask-bearing consoles and a niche statue of St Sebastian. From Jókai utca the visitor can glimpse the arcaded courtyard which it is hoped will soon to be restored to its former glory.

Related Attractions

Oskola utca

The narrow streets of the Old Town with their predominantly Baroque two-story patrician houses lead into Városház tér. One of the oldest houses in the town is in Oskola utca. On removal of the Baroque façade a gabled building of undressed stone was exposed with small, deeply set round-arched windows on the entrance side.