Medieval and Early Modern Lapidary

Relics of medieval architecture and stone carving have been preserved in the collection of the Hungarian National Museum from the time of its foundation. A growing number of carved stones were introduced in the inventory books of the museum in the second half of the 19th century reflecting the awakening of the interest in medieval architecture. Beside individual donations, the National Committee of Monuments played a significant role in sending stone relics into the museum. The finds of the greater excavations and monument reconstructions were deposited in the Hungarian National Museum, and often the objects that were registered as personal donations had been transported to the museum on the suggestion of eminent architecture and art historians of the period. Most of the carved stones were dispersed to various museums at the reform of the national museum organisation in the 1930's. In the sense of Act 1934/VIII, which defined the sphere of collection of the institution within the frames of the Hungarian National Museum, the stone relics regarded as "of fine art character" bearing "artistic features" were taken over by the Museum of Fine Art and from there by the Hungarian National Gallery after its foundation. The delivery certificates preserved in the archives of the Hungarian National Museum attest that 139 carved stones were given into the possession of the Museum of Fine Art. In 1938, significant stone relics from the royal basilica in Székesfehérvár were deposited in mausoleum and lapidary of the ruin garden created in Székesfehérvár on the 900th anniversary of Saint Stephen's death. In 1939 about 80 carved stones were delivered, for a reasonable price, to the Medieval Lapidary of the Capital partly because of art political reasons (so that relics of the capital were exhibited in the collection of the capital) and partly since "they cannot be exhibited for the want of space but are kept in the depository" as it was described in a letter prior to the delivery of the carved stones.

In the second half of the 19th century the interest in medieval architecture and stone carvers' art increased and gave rise to the demand for the collective study and exhibition of these monuments. This demand justified the setting up of the plaster cast collection of the museum, which was largely enriched by items for the millenary exhibition in the Városliget. The lapidary constructed in the entrance hall of the museum contained the mixed collection of original carvings and plaster casts at the beginning of the century. The order of the decreased collection ceased to exist during World War II. Experts laboriously identified the art objects with the inventory entries in the 1960's and 1970's, the unidentified items were registered once more and a new collection structure was established. The carvings, however could not be exhibited for lack of space, only a few items were inserted in the historical exhibition of the National Museum.

Against the grave losses, the lapidary of the National Museum preserves relics from buildings that played eminent roles in the medieval history of the country and ones that represent the most significant periods of medieval architecture. They are, at the same time, documents of the history of museum collections and the development of interest in medieval art.

The Lapidary is situated on the base level, at the cross of the corridors, on the way to the Roman lapidary constructed under the southern yard of main building.