Monday, July 11, 2011

Heroes' Square Budapest

The most spectacular square in the capital, Heroes' Square is located at the entrance to City Park. The central site of the Hero's square, as well as a landmark of Budapest, is the Millennium Monument. The construction of the Monument started when the one thousand-th anniversary was celebrated (in 1896), but it was finished only in 1900, and the square got its name then.


When the Monument was originally constructed, Hungary was a part of the Austrian Empire and thus the last five spaces for statues on the left of the colonnade were reserved for members of the ruling Habsburg dynasty. From left to right these were: Ferdinand I (relief: Defense of the Castle at Eger); Leopold I (relief: Eugene of Savoy defeats the Turks at Zenta), Charles III, Maria Theresa (relief: The Hungarian Diet votes support "vitam et sanguinem") and Franz Joseph (relief: Franz Joseph crowned by Gyula Andrássy) The monument was damaged in World War II and when it was rebuilt the Habsburgs were replaced by the current figures.




On 36 m high column in the centre of the Millennium Monument (Memorial) stands a statue of the Archangel Gabriel holding the Hungarian Holy Crown and apostolic double cross, The statues of the basement of the column are sculptures of the leaders of the seven tribes that founded Hungary in the 9th century led by prince Arpad. Outstanding figures of Hungarian history, portrayed by the sculptures in the semi-circular arcades of the monument are helping in bringing Hungarian history to life.


Heroes' Square lies at the end of Andrássy Avenue, next to City Park. At Heroes' Square we have Museum of Fine Arts, and Palace of Arts on the opposite side of the square. The entertainment and cultural places in City Park are: Zoo, Funfair, Municipal Grand Circus, Szechenyi Spa, Vajdahunyad Castle built on a mini island, the museums of agriculture and transport. They together make one of the favourite capital's tourist destinations.


Most visitors come here on yellow metro line, until Heroes' Square station. If you go directly to the baths you can exit metro one stop farther at Szechenyi Bath station. If you have enough time while you are in Budapest, take a mini vacation, visit the Heroes' Square and Millennium Monument (Memorial), then escape to City Park, in which you can find the Vajdahunyad Castle, City Park Lake behind Heroe's Square invites the visitor to take out a boat in summer and skate in the winter. You can rent bikes, bike carts, and rowboats for the lake, or just spread out a picnic blanket and enjoy the park.





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