Combine the visit with a stroll along Andrássy avenue, and try to visit both by day and night — it’s quite a different experience
Heroes’ Square was built in 1896 to mark the thousandth anniversary of Hungary. One of the major squares in Budapest, it is found at the end of Andrássy Avenue, next to City Park. It is among the most visited tourist attractions in the city, hosting the Museum of Fine Arts and the Mücsarnok Hall of Art, but it is particularly famous for its Millennial Monument.
Set in the middle of the huge plaza, the Millennial Monument is fittingly colossal. It celebrates the grand history and culture of Hungary since its inception. At its front sits a large stone cenotaph surrounded by an iron chain. The cenotaph reads: “To the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of our people and our national independence.”
Archangel Gabriel stands on top of the central pillar, holding the holy crown and the cross of Christianity. Below are the seven chieftains of the Magyars who led the Hungarian people into the Carpathian Basin, including Árpád, who is considered the founder of the Hungarian nation. To either side important historical figures stand atop towering colonnades. Altogether, they are awe-inspiring.
Changing hands
When the monument was originally built Hungary was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so the five spaces for statues were reserved for members of the ruling Habsburg dynasty. When the empire dissolved after WWII they were replaced with statues of Hungarian freedom fighters.
A hero’s welcome
The square is very historically significant: it was here, for example, that 250,000 Hungarians gathered to witness the reburial of Imre Nagry in 1989. Nagry was the former Primer Minister of Hungary who led the 1956 uprising against the Soviet occupation and was summarily executed in 1958. The Heroes’ Square is a patriotic emblem for the Hungarian people, so it was only appropriate that he return there.
Explore the fascinating and vibrant Pest District of Hungary’s capital city, famous for its Jewish history, and its mix of stunning architectural styles.
On your private tour, you will:
Budapest is two cities: Buda and Pest combined. The Pest district lies on the eastern bank of the Danube River and is famous for its vibrant atmosphere, Jewish community and history, and stunning mix of architectural styles from Gothic to Art Nouveau. Your private guide will show you all the most important highlights of the district on your private walking tour.
Learn all about the Jewish community, as you step inside the Great Synagogue, a statuesque landmark that ranks amongst the world’s largest places of worship for the Jewish faith and was consecrated in the city in 1859. Stroll the leafy Andrássy út boulevard, passing by the neo-Renaissance National Opera House and other national buildings, including the formidable and magnificent Hungarian Parliament. Straddling the Danube, this stunning building is home to the Crown of St Stephen, a historically significant treasure of the Hungarian nation, bequeathed by Pope Sylvester II on Christmas Day in the year 1000.
Walk towards Heroes’ Square, one of Budapest’s favourite public spaces where your tour will end: a popular gathering point with a monument dedicated to the Magyar (Hungarian) conquest at its heart.
Budapest, Hungary’s capital and the largest city on the River Danube became famous for its spectacular architecture, rich cultural heritage, vast Parliament building, impressive synagogues, delicious local cuisine, and for being the world’s top Spa destination! The 19th-Century Chaine Bridge connects the hilly Old Town of Buda with the flat but vibrant district of Pest. On your full-day tour, your expert local guide will show you some of the most important historical and cultural sites of Budapest - not to mention some truly breathtaking views.
On your private tour, you will:
Explore the beautiful city of Budapest, a great city of the Renaissance, situated majestically on the Danube River. Budapest is famous for its stunning array of architecture and fairytale towers displayed extravagantly all over the city from the castle to the opulent parliament building; for its abundance of luxury thermal spas and vast network of underground caves; for its gastronomy; and its rich artistic and cultural heritage.
Budapest is the cultural, political, and economic hub of Hungary. The mighty Danube River neatly dissects the city, with the old town of Buda extending into the hills on the west bank and Pest sitting in the lowlands to the east. As Hungary’s largest city, Budapest is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic thanks to its long and complex history beginning with the Romans, and the legacies of the Asiatic conquest, Mongol invasion, Ottoman siege, German control, and Soviet rule. Your guide will talk you through the many trials and tribulations of the city, and the story of how Buda and Pest were eventually united as one city.
Enjoy exploring both sides of the city; start at the Heroes' Square and learn about the iconic Millennium Monument with statues featuring the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars and the Memorial Stone of Heroes. Walk around trendy Pest home to the largest Parliament building in the world, its height is matched by the imposing St Stephen’s Basilica, and the Great Synagogue is also one of the largest places of worship for the Jewish faith in the world.
Then head across the river to the old town of Buda, with spectacular views from the castle. Enter Matthias Church and end your tour at Fisherman’s Bastion where you can admire the panoramic views at your leisure.
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