Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
well as the shattered marble tablet to Artur Weisz, the owner of the Glass House who was
shot in 1944: it stood on the wall outside until it was smashed by neo-Nazis a few years ago.
German occupation monument
At the southern end of Szabadság tér stands its latest memorial, this time marking the
Nazi
takeover
on 19 March 1944. Depicting archangel Gabriel - representing Hungary - being
menaced by a Germanic eagle, the monument has caused much debate. The government in-
sists that it stands for all victims of the occupation, while Jewish groups see it as part of a
official attempt to absolve Hungary of responsibility in the Holocaust. Nearby, in front of the
Church of Homecoming (
Hazatéres Temploma
), stands a bust of
Admiral Horthy
- put up
by a right-wing priest who belongs to the Jobbik party.
Soviet Army Memorial
The top end of Szabadság tér has also been the scene of controversy. From 1921 to 1945 it
was dominated by the Monument to Hungarian Grief in protest at the 1920 Treaty of Trian-
on, which awarded two-thirds of Hungary's territory and a third of its Magyar population to
the “Successor States” of Romania, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. After World War II, this
was replaced by a
Soviet Army Memorial
commemorating the liberation of Budapest from
the Nazis, with bas-reliefs of Red Army troops and tanks advancing on Ferenciek tere and
Parliament. Today, the Soviet obelisk is fenced off to protect it from vandalism by right-wing
nationalists.
Statue of Ronald Reagan
The statue of
Ronald Reagan
was set up to mark the 100th anniversary of the former US
president's birthday in 2011. The 2m-high statue, which presents him striding from Parlia-
ment into the square (he never visited the city), was erected in recognition of his role in end-
ing the Cold War.
The Bedő House
Bedő Ház, or Magyar Szecesszió Háza • V, Honvéd utca 3 • Mon-Sat 10am-5pm • 2000Ft • 1 269 4622,
BehindtheSovietArmyMemorial,lookoutforthepistachiofacadeofthe
BedőHouse
,asu-
perb example of Hungarian Art Nouveau architecture, built by Emil Vidor in 1903. Restored
to its original state after decades of neglect, it now holds the
Museum of Hungarian Art
Nouveau
, an extensive but rather haphazard collection of furniture, ceramics, interior design
and other knick-knacks; check out the toilets in the basement too. If you find the entrance
price off-putting, settle instead for a browse around the shop, with its reproduction and ori-
ginal pieces, or enjoy a coffee in the very pleasant café.
