Description of the attraction
The straight Andrássy Avenue connects the historic quarters of Budapest with Heroes' Square, a huge open space on which a stele was installed in honor of the millennium anniversary of Hungary (the Hungarian state was founded in 896). The column, 36 meters high, with a sculpture of the Archangel Gabriel placed at the very top, is surrounded by figures depicting the ruler of Arpad and seven other leaders who came with Arpad to the banks of the Danube. The construction of the column began in 1896. The statues were created by the architect Gyorgy Zala. Albert Schikedans was responsible for the conceptual idea and its embodiment in stone.
On both sides, the column is surrounded by two curved colonnades, also decorated with numerous statues. They depict the historical figures of Hungary. The sculptures are made of bronze. Allegorical figures of Peace, War, Science and Art can be seen on the colonnades. Beneath the statues in the colonnade, there are reliefs depicting scenes from the lives of these characters. The construction of the complex was delayed until 1929 and ended with the installation of a monument to the National Heroes. The square was named after them.
Several museums overlook the square with their main facades. The Museum of Fine Arts is located on the left. The building with monumental columns in the classical style was built in 1900 according to the project of A. Shikidans. The museum houses a huge collection of paintings that in the past belonged to the princes of Esterhazy.
On the right side is the Museum of Contemporary Art, which displays canvases by contemporary Hungarian painters. Behind Heroes' Square there is a passage to Varoshliget Park.
