The first Hungarian architecture relics date back to the Romanesque period. The military camp of Aquincum was situated on the territory of today's Óbuda during the second century, and smaller castles can be found in Nagytétény, Tác and Leányfalu. Old Christian findings include the crypt in Pécs and the Szombathely basilica.

Following the foundation of the state, cathedrals were built in Romanesque style in Esztergom , Székesfehérvár, Gyõr and Pécs and Benedictine abbeys were established in Pannonhalma and Pécsvárad.

The most beautiful Hungarian relics of the Romanesque style are the Ják abbey dating back to 1256. The Belapátfalva and Zsámbék churches were also built during the same period.

Following the Mongolic invasion, royal stone castles were built in Gothic style, the Buda Castle came into being during this period, the Church of Our Lady and the monastery on Margaret Island were also built at the same time as the castles in Hollókõ and Nagyvázsony . Town architecture began during this era. The residential buildings on the Buda Castle Hill testify to this period.

The Buda royal palace that was later destroyed was built during the period of King Matthias and carried the stylistic elements of the late Gothic period and of the Renaissance. The Visegrád palace that remained intact bore the same stylistic features. One of the most beautiful Renaissance churches of the region is the Bakócz chapel in Esztergom.

Following the split of the country into three parts, Renaissance traditions were carried on in Transylvania: churches decorated in this way using wooden panels were built centuries later as well. The Turkish left djamis, baths houses in Buda and the minarets of Érd and Eger behind.

The predominant artistic branch of the Baroque period was architecture, its first significant building was the Jesuit church of Nagyszombat. The Jesuits carried out constructions throughout the country for nearly a century (Nagyszombat, 1637 Cluj, 1724.). In the meantime, the first significant, European Baroque palace was built in Ráckeve. This was followed by the Grassalkovich palace in Gödöllõ and by the Eszterházy palace in Fertõd, which continues to serve the purpose of tourism until this very day.

The Zopf style of the early 19th century (a simpler version of Baroque) was represented by Canevale, Hillebrandt, Menyhért Hefele and Jakab Fellner in the first place. This style, however, was soon replaced by Classicism, the masterpieces of which are the National Museum designed by Mihály Pollack and the Esztergom Basilica , as well as the building complex of the Market square designed by József Hild. The Chain Bridge connecting Pest and Buda was erected in 1838 based on the plans of Adam Clark.

During the second half of the century, Frigyes Feszl made efforts to create a national architectural style through the Romantic Pest Vigadó Redout and Miklós Ybl by designing the Opera , the Várkert Bazaar and the Customs House . The building of the Parliament is Neo-Gothic (architect: Imre Steindl), the Fishermen's Bastion is Neo-Romanesque (architect: Frigyes Schulek).

Budapest became a metropolis at the turn of the century as a result of the millennium celebrations. Andrássy avenue, Heroes' Square with its museums were built together with the City Park with Vajdahunyad Castle in it.

The most significant buildings of the first half of the last century are the Post Savings Banks of Budapest designed by Ödön Lechner, the Városmajor school designed by Károly Kós and the Neo-Baroque building complex of Béla Rerrich on Dome Square in Szeged and the functionalist buildings of the Bauhaus. The period following the Second World War was characterised by the socialist-realistic housing estates and office buildings. During the 1960s and 1970s, a row of hotel buildings was built along the Pest Danube Bank.

The two most influential architects of the last decade were Imre Makovecz of organic approach and József Finta who participated in the design project of West End City Centre , the largest of the growing number of shopping centres in the country. The construction project that has attracted the most attention recently is that of the National Theatre in Ferencváros, based on the designs of Mária Siklósi.