Heroes' Square ("Hősök tere") - Budapest, Hungary

Location:

GPS coordinates: Latitude 47°30'53", Longitude 19°4'39" (N47 30.88 - E19 4.65) Map

Statue of Archangel Gabriel on the Millennium Memorial (or Millenial Monument)

The bronze statue of Archangel Gabriel on the top of the central 36-meter-high column in the Millennium Monument was created by György Zala in 1901. The almost 5-meter-tall angel stands on a sphere, in his right hand it is the Hungarian Holy Crown, as well as in the left hand he holds the apostolic patriarchal cross or two-barred cross (as according to a legend of the dream of King St. Stephen I founder of Hungary).

The Millenium Memorial with the Hungarian Heroes' National Memorial Stone

The latter was created by Róbert Kertész K. and Béla Gebhardt in 1929 and 1955.

There is a metal plate between the equestrian statue of Grand Prince Árpád of the Hungarians on the Millenium Monument and the Heroes' Memorial Stone (a stone cenotaph, and empty, symbolic tombstone). This metal plate covers an artesian thermal well, which was explored by the Hungarian mining engineer Vilmos Zsigmondy, who was a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This expert was the first initiator of drilling artesian wells in Hungary.

Hall of Art (in Hungarian "Műcsarnok", sometimes called "Palace of Art" opr "Kunsthalle Budapest", the latter is from German language)

The Hall of Art (in Hungarian "Műcsarnok", in German "Kunsthalle Budapest") on the Heroes' Square ("Hősök tere") in Budapest was designed by Albert Schickedanz and Fülöp Ferenc Herzog, it was built between 1895-1896 and inaugurated during the series of celebrations of the Hungarian Millenium (the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin). Nowadays there are mostly representative exhibitions of domestic and foreign contemporary artists within its walls. The eclectic and neo-classical style building has typical basilical layout.

A building that has basilical layout consists of a nave and two or more aisles. The nave is always in the middle and also higher than the aisles, the interior is illuminated with roof windows between the nave and the aisles. An addition, on the rear side of the building there is a usually semicircular recess, this is the so-called apse and clearly visible on the other side of the Hall of Arts building as well. The architectural layout itself is coming from the ancient Roman market halls, and it was used for the similar purpose more times even in the recent past (for example for the Great Market Hall in Ferencváros district of Budapest).

Hall of Art ("Műcsarnok")

The Hall of Art ("Műcsarnok") was damaged in the World War II, the restorations were done under the leadership of László Borsos between 1949-1950. László Borsos was an architect, architectural historian and conservator-restorer in one, he actively took part of the historic restorations after the 2nd World War, for example in the highly damaged Buda Castle. The last renovation of the Hall of Arts was done between 1991-1994.

The Art Nouveau style Groedel Villa

Designed by Géza Aladár Kármán an Gyula Ullmann Gyula, built in 1900.

The Art Nouveau style Groedel Villa on the Lendvay Street is overlooking the Heroes' Square ("Hősök tere"), designed by Géza Aladár Kármán and Gyula Ullmann architects, it was built in 1900. Between 1951-1989 the building was used by the State Office for Church Affairs (in Hungarian "Állami Egyházügyi Hivatal") of the party-state regime. Supposedly after the death of a certain Bishop Káldy many files and documents were burnt, so probably thanks to this event many current ecclesiastical dignities can deny the claims and accusations that they formerly collaborated with the communist state-party. After the regime and government system change in Hungary (1989) it became the property of the Fidesz party, which was initially a liberal party for few years, then from 1992 they started to represent right-wing conservative concepts. From the spring of 1990 until the early-2004 the building was the party headquarters, then it was leased for a while and now (in 2015) it is the head office of the Fidesz party again.

On 26 October 2014 in Budapest several tens of thousands people protested against the internet tax, the plan of the Fidesz government (led by Viktor Orbán prime minister) was to lay a tax on the internet network traffic. The procession went throught the Elisabeth Bridge as well, where many iconic photos were shot of the protesting people with lighting cell phones in their raised hands, these photos were also appeared in the world press. In the Heroes' Square after a while some demonstrators started to go to the headquarters of the Fidesz party on the Lendvay Street. To protest against laying tax on the internet traffic and against the Orbán government they settled to the ground and created a pile from old computer components and peripherals. At that time the followings happened: some people smashed some windows of the building with monitors and keyboards. Considering this later the Fidesz said - probably also for distraction purposes - it was a savage vandalism and the damages cost at least ten million forints, but as it turned out later it was not true. Anyway, this protest mobilized many people and it was the first really big demonstration against the Fidesz governments. Finally the protest was successful, the government retreated and at least for now there is no network traffic related internet tax in Hungary.

The City Park Ice Rink with the Millenium Memorial (or monument)

The Skating Club of Pest ("Pesti Korcsolyázó Egylet") was founded at the end of 1869 by Géza Kresz and his 15 companions. They received the area for free to create an ice rink. Then at their own expense they built up a small wooden shelter. The outdoor ice rink of the City Park ("Városliget") was opened in January 1870. The gates were opened for the public personally by Archduke Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria.

A group of children on the City Park Ice Rink ("Városligeti Műjégpálya"), with the Millenium Memorial

When established the ice skating rink of the City Park ("Városliget") was the largest contiguous area open air ice rink in the world, in addition the natural and achitectural environment was also beautiful. The speed skating sport was first appeared in Hungary in 1894, then the first Hungarian speed skating champion Andor Péczeli was celebrated here in the City Park in January 1900. In 1926 as the first in Europe (or some sources says as second after Vienna) the City Park ice rink was converted to be able to create artificial ice, so from then it was possible to skate even 105 days a year, as well as it became easier to organize big international tournaments.

The skating hall building of the City Park Ice Rink (in Hungarian "Városligeti Műjégpálya"), viewed from the boating lake

Boating lake in summer, ice skating rink in winter. The first wooden shelter of the City Park Ice Rink was burned in 1874. Then the next building was designed by the style creator famous architect Ödön Lechner. The wooden structure building was completed in 1875, it had men's and women's changing room wings with a common hall (a "warming room"), but soon the building was proved to be too small.

Statue of a bowman or an archer in front of the City Park Ice Rink building

There is a bronze nude statue of a male archer or bowman on the Olof Palme sétány (street) in the City Park in front of the ice rink building. It was created by Zsigmond Kisfaludy Strobl, the Hungarian sculptor who created among others the female figure of the Liberty Statur on the Gellért Hill. This statue was sculpted in 1919, then from 1925 it was placed beside the sports field of the Hungarian Athletics Club in the Margaret Island. It is standing on the present site since 1929. Interestingly there are two copies of this statue in the world, one is in Stockholm, Sweden, and another one is in Santa Barbara, United States.

The building of the City Park Ice Rink ("Városligeti Műlyégpálya")

The current neo-baroque style building of the City Park Ice Rink was originally designed by Imre Francsek Sr. in 1895, but in 1905 it needed to be extended. The bombings of 1944 caused very serious damages in the building of the ice skating rink. Later during the reconstruction it was slightly extended again, by the plans of Ferenc Paulheim. The last renovation is dated to 2010-2011, when the damaged wing (which was completely bombed in the World War II) was also rebuilt, so as of today the building represents the original condition like before 1944 (except of course now it is equipped with modern facilities).