Called „the most exciting open air museum in Eastern Europe”, Budapest’s Statue Park or Memento Park gives home to the propaganda statues raised during the Communist Era. Such names as Lenin, Marx and Engels, Dimitrov and Ostapenko are represented in the park, along with memorials to The Soviet Soldier, the Communist Martyrs, and the Republic of Councils.



The gigantic memorials from the communist dictatorship are on display on the outskirts of Budapest, a mere fifteen minutes from the city center by car or bus. The statues gathered here once stood in public places in the city, as raised beacons of the political and ideological culture of Hungary’s former socialist period.


The museum opened on the fall of 1993 and has been attracting visitors from the four corners of the earth ever since. Interestingly enough, Hungarians who lived here during the Communist Regime, and passed by such statues on a daily basis, they too are interested in visiting the park. In fact, the uproar over its establishment slowly died out, and it appears to become one of the many museums and sites eagerly pointed out to visitors of Budapest.


Akos Eleod Jr., the Hungarian architect who designed the park emphasized that he had no intentions of creating an Anti-propaganda park of his own, and thus „following the same thought patterns and prescriptions of dictatorship that erected these statues in the first place”.


„This park is about dictatorship”, he said. „And in the moment when it can be talked about, it can be written about, it can be built, in that moment, this park is about democracy. It is only democracy that gives us the opportunity to think freely about dictatorship, or about democracy. …Or about anything!” (1994/2)


The Statue Park Guidebook contains detailed information on the collection, the statues and their creators and models, as well as the historical events these works of art symbolize. Available in Hungarian, English, French, Italian and German.


A souvenir shop is also available at the museum, and they accept AMEX, VISA, Eurocard/Mastercard, Cirrus/Maestro cards. Some of their merchandise include:

• Art albums on socialist realism
• Cassettes and records of the worker's movement
• The last breath of communism, sealed in a tin :-)
• Models of Trabants
• Lenin statues
• Postcards and stickers

Address

Budapest, Hungary (South Buda — XXII. ker.— 22nd district)
Corner of Balatoni Str. and Szabadkai Str.
Phone: (36 -1) 424 7500
Internet: http://www.szoborpark.hu


Access

• By public transportation

From Budapest city center (Ferenciek tere, Metro 3 /blue/) on the bus No.7 (only red!), No.173 to Etele Square (terminus), and from there on Volan Bus (yellow) departing from stall number 7. (toward Diosd-Erd). The buses are leaving every 20 minutes. Get off at the Szoborpark Bus Stop, which is in about 15 minutes distance. (Tickets need to be purchased in advance!)

• By car

Heading out of Budapest towards the M1 and M7 highways, turn off at the Budaorsi junction to road 7. The Statue Park is about 4.3 miles (7 km) away.

From the M0 highway, turn off at Diosd, on to Road 7 heading towards Budapest.
The Statue Park is about 3 miles (5 km) from the exit.

• Direct bus

Direct bus line to Statue Park from downtown every day. The bus leaves from Deak Square (Deak ter - Metro N°1,2,3), from the bus stop distinguished by the Statue Park-timetable.

Return tickets are 3.950 HUF/pers. (with Budapest Card, it's only 2.450 HUF/pers.); the price includes the entrance ticket to the Statue Park as well.

Ticket available on the buses.

The program takes about 1hr 45 mins, including transport and a visit of approximately 40 minutes.

The bus leaves from Deak ter:

• January – June: 11 A.M.
• July – August: 11 A.M. & 15 P.M.
• September – December: 11 A.M.

For tourist groups exceeding 20 people, exclusive bus transportation can be arranged as well. Please call 424-7500 at least 5 days prior to the planned date of your visit. The fee of the bus transfer is 2.450 HUF/person + ticket from Downtown-Statue Park-Downtown transfer.

Other routes are open to negotiation.


Open hours & tickets

Open: Every day from 10 A.M. till Sunset (~7 P.M.).

Tickets:

• 1000 HUF
• Students 600 HUF/pers
• Free with Budapest Card

Links:

Statue Park Home