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The courtyard outside is flanked on three sides by the palace, and overlooks Buda to the west. In the far corner stands the flamboyant Matyas Fountain , whose bronze figures recall the legend of Szep Ilonka. This beautiful peasant girl met the king while he was hunting incognito, fell in love with him, and died of a broken heart after discovering his identity and realizing the futility of her hopes. The man with a falcon is the king's Italian chronicler, who recorded the story for posterity. It is also enshrined in a poem by Vorosmarty. A lofty gateway guarded by lions leads into the Lion Courtyard , flanked on the right by the National Szechenyi Library ( Orszagos Szechenyi Konyvtar ), whose full size is only apparent from the far side of the hill, where it looms over Dozsa ter like a mountain. Founded in 1802 on the initiative of Count Ferenc Szechenyi (the father of Istvan who spearheaded the Reform era), it is a repository for publications in Hungarian and material relating to the country from around the world and receives a copy of every book and newspaper published in Hungary. Its reading room is open to the public (Mon 1-9pm, Tues-Sat 9am-9pm; free) and there are temporary exhibitions on diverse subjects. During library hours, a passenger lift at the rear of the adjacent building by the Lion gateway provides direct access to and from Dozsa ter, at the foot of Varhegy.
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