in the 19th century, the seat of esztergom archbishops was moved back to esztergom and the hungarian capital was moved to buda. after the napoleonic wars a strong garrison of king-emperor's army remained in the city. summer archbishop's palace was converted into a military hospital and its garden was used as a military exercising ground. statues from the garden were sold and an outside staircase leading from the garden directly to a hall on the first floor was demolished. the hall was split into two rooms full of beds for wounded soldiers. the palace remained a military hospital until the 1930s. after the breakup of czechoslovakia the newly created slovak state was in need of administrative and office buildings in the capital city to house the government and ministries. summer archbishop's palace was chosen to house the ministry of foreign affairs and a whole government district was supposed to be constructed in the vicinity, this plan however did not materialise.