A sacred space, gathering the important symbols of the Hungarian nation, this square is also the gateway to Andrássy Avenue and the City Park.
Heroes’ Square is the 'full stop' in the long and extravagant 'exclamation mark' of Andrássy Avenue – the famous boulevard linking central Pest to the parklands of the Városliget. Whereas Andrássy Avenue is full of the show and rich spectacle of 19th century Budapest, Heroes’ Square (or Hősök tere) marks the point where Hungarians pause to reflect. Its sombre, grey-flagged space is home to icons of what Hungarians consider make them great – the conquering Magyar tribal warriors of the 9th century, the famous line of medieval kings, and the Holy Crown of St Stephen.But as well as these famous 'heroes 'of Hungary, the Square also celebrates the sacrifices everyday Hungarians have made to keep this nation free. There is a large stone monument, dedicated to the war dead and the Unknown Warrior, but also to those who 'gave their lives for freedom'. That made Heroes’ Square a fitting place for the burial of Imre Nagy, the leader who tried to take Hungary out of the Eastern Bloc in 1956 – but who was executed for treason after the Soviet invasion.The central attraction, however, is the Millennium Monument. Made of two curving colonnades, and a towering 35-metre column, it was started in 1896 to mark 1000 years since the Magyars – the original Hungarians – arrived in the wide plains of the Danube. The colonnades host statues of well-known figures from Hungary's history. St Stephen, Matthias Corvinus and Louis the Great are there, as is the archangel Gabriel, bearing the Holy Crown of St Stephen aloft – a scared symbol in Hungary. Beneath them lurk the seven fierce Magyar chieftains who founded the country.As well as marking the end of Andrássy Avenue, the Square acts as a gateway into the bright green spaces of the Városliget – Budapest's main park – with its circus, zoo, spa and ice-rink. And on either side, the Square is flanked by museums. Hősök tere is more than just a place of reflection – it's also the place to head for fun, exercise and some cultural enlightenment.
