Szabadság tér

Welcome to Szabadság tér, or Liberty Square. As a scholar of urban history, I must immediately point out the profound, almost tragic irony embedded in the name of this vast, crescent-shaped plaza. …

Turn your attention to the massive, imposing edifice dominating the western perimeter of the square. This architectural behemoth, designed by the prolific Hungarian architect Ignác Alpár and completed in 1905, originally housed…

Directly opposite the former Stock Exchange, mirroring its monumental scale but featuring distinct stylistic differences, is the headquarters of the Hungarian National Bank. Also designed by Ignác Alpár, this structure was…

We now approach the most visually and politically contentious object in the square: the Soviet War Memorial. Standing tall at the northern end of the plaza, this stone obelisk is crowned with a gleaming, gilded five-pointed star…

Directly adjacent to the Soviet Memorial, you will notice a heavily fortified compound occupying the eastern edge of the square. This is the United States Embassy. …

We now move to the southern end of the square to confront an entirely different, yet equally explosive, historical controversy. Erected under the cover of night in the summer of 2014, this is the Memorial to the Victims of the…

To conclude our time in Liberty Square, let us step away from the heavy burdens of geopolitics and observe the central green space. In the midst of these towering monuments of trauma, the city has installed a marvel of modern…

As we prepare to leave Szabadság tér, take one final, sweeping look across the plaza. There are very few public spaces in Europe that demand such intense intellectual and emotional engagement. …