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Postal Savings Bank
Hold Utca 4, Budapest
1901
In
the classical city district called Leopoldstadt, close to the US
Embassy and the National Bank, is located the former Postal Savings
Bank within a corner building.
With this building, Ödön Lechner created one of the masterpieses of the "Hungarian style", completed four years before the more famous Postal Savings Bank building
by Otto Wagner in Vienna. Looking for a specific Hungarian style, Ödön Lechner designed a bright façade which is structured by brick bands which are typical for his designs.
In addition, the façade is adorned with color patterns, which are modeled according to Hungarian embroidery. These ornaments show bees which crawl upwards
to the beehives on the roof edge, a reference to the need of hard work and frugality. The window openings were kept as flat as possible and were constructed
without windowsills, so as not to disturb the textile effect of the façade. In this context it is worth noting, the tripartite windows designed and patented by Ödön Lechner
with integrated sun visor, which can be folded down. The curved attic of the building is clad with Zsolnay ceramics. Above this attic rises an elaborate green-yellow roofscape,
which has caused very high costs. It is believed that Ödön Lechner thereafter received no more major works because of these high costs.
With this building, Ödön Lechner created one of the masterpieses of the "Hungarian style", completed four years before the more famous Postal Savings Bank building
by Otto Wagner in Vienna. Looking for a specific Hungarian style, Ödön Lechner designed a bright façade which is structured by brick bands which are typical for his designs.
In addition, the façade is adorned with color patterns, which are modeled according to Hungarian embroidery. These ornaments show bees which crawl upwards
to the beehives on the roof edge, a reference to the need of hard work and frugality. The window openings were kept as flat as possible and were constructed
without windowsills, so as not to disturb the textile effect of the façade. In this context it is worth noting, the tripartite windows designed and patented by Ödön Lechner
with integrated sun visor, which can be folded down. The curved attic of the building is clad with Zsolnay ceramics. Above this attic rises an elaborate green-yellow roofscape,
which has caused very high costs. It is believed that Ödön Lechner thereafter received no more major works because of these high costs.