EN
The article examines a specific role of medieval architectural language at the 1900 Paris World Exposition. Two ephemeral buildings evocated the presence of the history in a seemingly similar way: partial citations from different epochs - with a specific stress put on the Middle Ages - were mixed together to make stunning ensembles. The similarity of approach and overall impression hid cardinal differences. While in the case of the Hungarian pavilion the medieval citations impersonated the basis for the political and cultural self-concept of the nation, in the case of the French ensemble - Le Vieux Paris - they were instrumental in a merely nostalgic interest in the history of the city.