Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA)

This stately building on focal Széchenyi tér was only finished in 1865 after the death of its founding father, Count István Széchenyi. It remains one of the most beautiful creations by architect Miklós Ybl, also responsible for the Opera House and St Stephen’s Basilica. Currently, there are nearly 300 full members of the Academy but with all the correspondents, external and honorary members, as well as its doctors, almost 10,000 eminent citizens are connected in some way to this hub of Hungarian scientific life. Its library, founded in 1826, contains some two million volumes, including a special collection of manuscripts and rare books.