Antal Puhl: Great Villas of Hungary

Dedicated to the past and present owners of these villas, who at no small effort and cost have preserved the architectural and aesthetic values of these dwellings, and thus an essential part of their genius loci for future generations.

This volume wishes to provide, in accordance with our possibilities, a comprehensive and enjoyable picture of the architecture of villas and impressive residential buildings in Hungary. In the Central and Eastern European region. the architecture of impressive residential buildings could not always develop under natural conditions – neither could other areas of culture and art – and it did not always develop under a lucky star either, this is why certain aspects of modern villa architecture were treated less emphatically in some periods within our selection. Nevertheless, this is exactly what makes the conditions characteristic of the given era more perceivable.
Similarly to other volumes in this series, the architectural mementos of the 19thand 20th centuries gain emphasis. Because of the parallel and partly common historical past, certain similarities – in periods of style, or in following the same patterns, etc. – may seem obvious, while the values that manifest themselves as differences may, also provide us with several useful lessons.