Heroes’ Square

Heroes' Square is the monumental square at the end of Andrássy út, where the avenue meets City Park. It was laid out for the 1896 celebrations of the thousandth anniversary of the Magyar conquest of the Carpathian Basin, and it received its name in 1900. The square forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing that covers Andrássy út and the Millennium Underground beneath it.

The centrepiece is the Millennium Memorial. A tall column carries the Archangel Gabriel, who holds the Holy Crown and the apostolic double cross, and at its base ride the seven Magyar chieftains led by Árpád. Behind, two curved colonnades hold statues of Hungarian kings and statesmen, from St Stephen onwards, with allegorical figures on the top corners. Most of the sculpture is by György Zala. The figures in the colonnades have changed with the country's politics: Habsburg rulers were replaced after the Second World War.

In front of the column lies the Memorial Stone of Heroes, a cenotaph honouring those who gave their lives for Hungary. It is often called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, though no one is buried there. On formal occasions it is guarded and wreaths are laid.

Two major art buildings face each other across the square: the Museum of Fine Arts on the north side and the Műcsarnok (Hall of Art), a contemporary exhibition space, on the south. Behind the colonnades, City Park opens up with Vajdahunyad Castle, the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, the zoo and the House of Music. This makes the square an easy starting point for half a day or more.

The square is free and open at all times. It is wide and exposed, so mornings and late afternoons are more comfortable in summer, and the monument is lit after dark. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the square itself. The best way to arrive is on the yellow M1 Millennium Underground, the oldest metro line in continental Europe, which stops at Hősök tere right at the square. Alternatively, walk the length of Andrássy út from the city centre, past the Opera House and the House of Terror, in around 40 minutes.