Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cular colonnade displays statues of Hungary's most illustrious leaders, from King Stephen to
Kossuth.
During the brief Republic of Councils in 1919, when the country was governed by revolu-
tionary Soviets, the square was decked out in red banners and the column enclosed in a red
obelisk bearing a relief of Marx. In 1989, it was the setting for the ceremonial reburial of
Imre Nagy and other murdered leaders of the 1956 Uprising (plus an empty coffin repres-
enting the “unknown insurgent”) - an event which symbolized the dawning of a new era in
Hungary. Today it's more likely to be filled with rollerbladers and skateboarders - for whom
the smooth surface is ideal - and tourists, or for hosting
events
such as Army Day in May or
the National Gallop in September.
Műcsarnok
XIV, Hősök tere • Tues, Wed & Fri-Sun 10am-6pm, Thurs noon-8pm • 1800Ft • 1 460 7000,
muc-
On the southeast side of the Hősök tere is the
M
ű
csarnok
(Exhibition Hall), also called the
PalaceofArt
(nottobeconfusedwiththePalaceofArts).AGrecianpilewithgildedcolumns
and a mosaic of St Stephen as patron of the arts, it was inaugurated in 1896 just in time for
the Millenary celebrations. Its magnificent facade and foyer are in contrast to the four austere
rooms used for
temporary exhibitions
(two or three at a time), often of modern art, though
these are usually of a high quality - with anything from graphic art to multi-media and in-
stallation art.
Museum of Fine Arts
Szépművészeti Múzeum • XIV, Hősök tere • Tues-Sun 10am-6pm with late opening on alternate Thurs till
10pm • 1800Ft • Free guided tours in English Tues-Thurs 11am, 1pm & 2pm, Fri 11am & 2pm, Sat 11am •
Audio-guide 500Ft • Temporary exhibitions 2600Ft which includes entry to permanent collection • 1 469
7100,
szepmuveszeti.hu
On the northwest side of Hősök tere, the
Museum of Fine Arts
is the pan-European equi-
valent of the Hungarian National Gallery, housed in an imposing Neoclassical building com-
pleted in 1906, though without the gilt of the Műcsarnok. Most exhibits are labelled in Eng-
lish and a free floor-plan is available, but if you want more information you should go on an
English-language
tour
or rent an
audio-guide
. Note that the continued rearrangement of the
museum's collection, the loaning of pictures and
temporaryexhibitions
can alter the layout
ofpicturesdescribedhere.Special
events
-musicandguidedtours-areheldonlate-opening
Thursdays, as advertised on the website. Art historians may be drawn to the
library
which
is a treasure-trove of information in various languages, housed nearby at VI, Szondi utca 77
(ask at the museum information desk for more details).
Lower ground floor
In the museum's bowels, a hippopotamus-tusk wand carved with spells to protect a child
presages the small but choice
Egyptian Collection
, chiefly from the Late Period and Greco-
