Antal Szkalnitzky

[1] Born in Lak (today called Geresdlak), a small town near Pécs, Szkalnitzky went on to study architecture in Prague, Vienna and Berlin, completing his degree in 1859.

He worked in the studios of Friedrich August Stüler between 1858 and 1859 and he was awarded the Berlin building academy's silver medal.

In 1861, he was elected director of the newly formed National Hungarian Artistic Group.

He was awarded a prize at the Vienna World Fair for his design of Oktogon Square in Budapest, arguably his greatest achievement.

He was one of the main representatives of historicism, including elements of Italian and French Renaissance design in his buildings.