Gresham Palace

I spent my Friday evening with good friends at the beautiful Gresham Palace which is also known as the Four Seasons hotel. In 1880, the London-based Gresham Life Assurance Company bought the property, at a time when it was illegal to invest money in stocks, but rental income was a wise investment. The company later decided to build its foreign headquarters on the site, and decided that they needed a grander setting for them. They commissioned local architect Zsigmond Quittner to design the new structure, and in 1904, they began construction of the Gresham Palace, which was completed in 1906 and opened in 1907.

Originally, the palace served as an office building as well as a home for wealthy British aristocrats associated with the Gresham company. During the occupation after World War II, Soviet soldiers resided in the extravagant palace. Eventually, it became decrepit and was used as an apartment building during the People's Republic of Hungary. In 1990, when democracy was restored, the national government presented the palace to the city of Budapest. The art-deco interior is so stunning that you can only feel like royalty from the moment you walk in. 

Photos property of MR