Weidlich Palace

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The Weidlich Palace, one of Miskolc's most iconic buildings, has been a jewel of the city's main street for over a century. Built in 1912, it was the city's first modern shopping house, featuring the first elevator and cinema, the Apollo. The building was commissioned by Pál Weidlich, a notable merchant who was one of Miskolc’s most significant taxpayers and ran Upper Hungary's largest spice business. The palace’s designer was Alfréd Hajós, Hungary's first Olympic champion, who was also behind several other notable buildings in Miskolc. The Weidlich Palace housed 24 shops and apartments, where the Weidlich family themselves lived. Its offerings were diverse, including a hair salon, dry cleaners, cobbler, print shop, and a Thonet furniture store. Above the main entrance, a black dog sign symbolized Weidlich's shop, which remained known as "The Weidlich" even after state ownership during the socialist era. Architecturally, the building is richly decorated in a late Art Nouveau style, though it lost its original towers in the 1960s. Its courtyard is spanned by bridges, adding a unique atmosphere. The original wrought-iron gate is ingeniously designed to lower into the basement using an electric motor, a feature that remains operational to this day. Beneath the building, a fully cellar-lined area still preserves the original rails once used for transporting goods. The Weidlich Palace has adapted over the years as businesses open and close, yet it remains a defining landmark for Miskolc's residents, a place of historical and cultural significance that embodies the essence of the city.