Attraction: Szoborpark, Budapest

Directly after the fall of communism people started to bring down communist statue’s everywhere in Eastern Europe. Little remains of the communist era in cities like Prague and Budapest nowadays. One exception is Szobor Statue Park (now renamed Memento Park) close to Budapest. An Hungarian entrepreneur has bought up a large collection of Lenin, Marx and other statue’s and created a theme park where they are displayed. Comtourist friend Paul went to Budapest and shot some photo’s for us.

Hungarian communist statues in Szoborpark in Budapest

Nowadays tourist will not find any Lenin statue’s in Prague, Bratislava, Sofia, Warsaw or Budapest. Most of these works op art were destroyed and sold as scrap metal. The hatred of these people is understandable and justified but an important part of history has been quickly erased in Easter Europe. Also much important architecture like "The Palace of the Republic" in Berlin has been destroyed, justified by the crimes committed under the communist reign. Hopefully will the people of Eastern Europe understand that the history of the communist era is important and something’s need to be preserved for the future. Smart Hungarian business man did understood the value of the torn down statue’s and bough them from the government. They placed them in a museum park near Budapest, so thankfully we can still enjoy them.

There is souvenir shop with the usual items like t-shirts, mugs and posters for sale. A Trabant is parked at the entrance of the statue park, this is a good photo opportunity for everyone who loves the good old Trabant (and who doesn’t). In the centre of the park in a circle of grass lies a star of red flowers. The star used to lie in a greater circle at the Buda entrance to the famous old Chain Bridge across the Danube to Pest.

Statue: Lenin

Statue: Georgi Dimitrov

Statue: Marx and Engels

A 4 meter high bronze Lenin statue from 1965 of by artist Pal Patzay.

Bust from 1954 of Georgi Dimitrov by Jordan Krachmarov.

Granite statue of Marx and Engels by Gyorgy Segesdy from 1971.

Statue: Republic of Councils Monument

Monument: Hungarian-Soviet Friendship Memorial

István Kiss’s monument to the 1919 Hungarian Soviet Republic was erected in 1969 on the site of the Regnum Marianum Church. The monument memorizes the "Republic of Councils" a workers government led by Bela Kun in 1919

Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl’s Memorial to Hungarian-Soviet Friendship from 1956 is an great monumen7t. The memorial stood in Ko banya’s Pataki square (now Saint Laszlo square) before it was moved to the Statue park.

Statue: Lenin

Statue: Georgi Dimitrov

Liberation Monument

Captain Steinmetz

Statue of Lenin in familiar pose by unknown artist made in 1958.

A other statue of Georgi Dimitrov from artist Valentin Starchev from 1983.

Liberation monument of Soviet soldier by Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl from 1947.

Statue of Captain Steinmetz (Soviet envoy), made by Sandor Mikus in 1958.

Volunteers memorial

Bela Kun Memorial

Workers monument memorial

Buda Volunteers Regiment Memorial by Mihaly Meszaros from 1975.

Monument for revolutionary Bela Kun by Imre Varga from 1986.

Monument dedicated to the workers movement by Istvan Kiss from 1976.

More statue’s and monuments

There are 41 communist statue’s, monuments and memorials to be seen in Szoborpark. The statue park is a must see for everybody interested in Social realist art, communism and history in general. So do take some time to visit Szoborpark when you near in beautiful Budapest!