Money Museum Panoramic Terrace

From June 16, 2023, a new attraction will be added to the repertoire of the Money Museum and Visitor Centre. The building's roof terrace, which has been closed to the public until now, finally opens its doors. The Money Museum Panorama Terrace, which can be visited free of charge, enhances the visitor experience – but, for the time being.

As a result of the first large-scale stateside investment between the two world wars, the country's first modern office building was created, which became known as the Postal Palace. The Hungarian Post moved out of the building permanently in 2008. Several plans were made for the utilization of the property, and finally in 2018 it became the property of MNB-Real Estate Ltd., which renovated it preserving the Art Nouveau features. The building currently houses the Money Museum and the Supervisory Centre of the Central Bank of Hungary.

The purpose of opening the Money Museum Panorama Terrace is to introduce the spaces of our unique building to a wider audience. The first step in this direction was the inauguration of a new temporary exhibition entitled "Our Century Value – From Skating Rink to the Money Museum" in mid-April. Through the past and present of the property, the exhibition aims to put architect Gyula Sándy in the spotlight.

The Past of the Iconic Building

After the Trianon peace dictate, the recovery of the country required smoother communication between people. To achieve this, the existence of a postal and telephone network equipped with the most modern equipment was mandatory, for which a suitable headquarters had to be built.

In the design competition announced on January 23, 1923, it was expected that the building should be built in the central location of the city, be representative, at least 6 floors high, have a monumental façade, but avoid unnecessary decoration, and its construction should be cost-effective.

Out of the 25 entries received, the design of Gyula Sándy emerged victorious. In Sándy’s application the judges highlighted the existence of an inner corridor, but at the same time found the “backward jump” of the upper floor interesting. It also helped that Sándy had references in designing a building with a similar function (Zagreb Post Palace).

The architect was fond of medieval architecture, his beloved castles (Murány Castle, Miramare Castle in Trieste) had a great influence on him as a child, therefore his works – including the Postal Palace, which can be considered the main work of his life – emphasize castle-like elements, bastions and circular towers. Although the building is robust, the designer not only optically lowered the property by moving the top floor back, but also made it possible to create a roof terrace that can now be occupied by the population after almost 100 years.

The number of attractions of the Money Museum and Visitor Centre, including the terrace, has now increased to three. In addition to the Money Museum Panorama Terrace, these include the Golden Stag and the "The Path of Money" exhibition.