Batthyány Mausoleum

The Batthyány Mausoleum is one of the notable monuments in the Fiumei út cemetery in Budapest, the burial place of Hungarian Prime Minister Lajos Batthyány.

History

Lajos Batthyány was executed on October 6, 1849 in Pest by a bullet. The Austrian government wanted to bury him in an unmarked grave, but this did not happen: he was secretly placed to rest in the crypt of the Franciscan church in Pest.

After the Compromise, the possibility arose to reinter Batthyány. On June 9, 1870, the committee set up to organize the burial opened the grave with the presidency of Royal Pal (Királyi Pál) in the presence of the prime minister’s son, Count Elemér Batthyány (1847–1932). The following was found 21 years after the first burial:

“Having taken the burial vault out into the open, the coffin was completely shattered; the body had already begun to decay considerably. The deceased’s beautiful large jaw, however, remained completely intact, and its colour also confirmed the identity. The skull was already crumbled, but the place of the bullet that killed the noble man is still visible. The corpse was dressed in a black garment, and of the clothing pieces the posthumous vest remained in the best condition. However, the black velvet Hungarian coat in which the martyr died is also recognizable.”

In a solemn ceremony they transferred the remains to the Fiumei út cemetery and reburied him in a simple burial vault. At the same time many felt that the first responsible Hungarian prime minister deserved more, and soon the editorial office of the daily newspaper Pesti Napló organized a collection for an elaborate monument. The announced international competition was won by Albert Schickedanz. According to his plans the mausoleum was built between 1872 and 1874 in Neo‑Renaissance style. Lacking financial resources, the monument remained unfinished. Originally a statue was also intended for the grave, but this was never realized.

In the mausoleum, several other members of the Batthyány family were placed:

Lajos Batthyány's three‑year‑old grandson, Beniczky Lea (†1888)

his daughter‑in‑law, Zichy Antónia (†1888)

his daughter, Beniczkyné Batthyány Ilona (†1929)

finally his son, Batthyány Elemér (†1932).

In the 1980s and 1990s the tomb was robbed twice, at one point Batthyány's corpse was even beheaded. In 2000 the mausoleum was restored, and at that time parts that Schikendanz had previously wanted were placed on it. The building is under monument protection.

The upper part of the mausoleum can be visited during the cemetery's opening hours, and the tomb itself is included in cultural walks organized from time to time by the National Heritage Institute with a guide.