I have to admit that I am not a huge architecture buff and I normally don’t go out of my way to learn a terrible lot about the buildings or what period or style they were built in. I certainly never remember an architect’s name. But when I got to Szeged in Hungary, then Subotica in Serbia, and I kept hearing about Art Nouveau, I knew I had to learn a bit about it. Luckily, the tourist information offices in both Szeged and Subotica have published self-guided walking tours that are informative and easy to follow.

In a nutshell, Art Nouveau flourished in this area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Szeged was stricken by a massive flood in 1879 and Emperor Francis Joseph promised to rebuild it “more beautiful than it was before”. The resulting efforts took a cue from European architects and artists who believed that industrial development was negatively impacting beauty. Therefore, they tried to instill art and tradition into everyday life. This philosophy spilled into Subotica, which at the time was actually part of the same country at Szeged. Hungarians eventually established their own Art Nouveau movement – the Secessionist Period.

Given the summer season and how many leaves are on the trees, it was a bit difficult to capture good photos of the exteriors of the buildings; a testament to the lovely greenery in these places! However, I did manage to get a few good interior shots, especially of the splendid city hall in Subotica which was designed by Dezso Jakab. I also trekked 8 km to Palic, outside of Subotica, and saw some more lovely, folksy buildings there.