Apart from being a land of fairytales, Budapest has a very vibrant arts scene with numerous art museums and statues! Here are some of the main ones which have some political and historical importance.
Shoes on the Danube Bank
During World War 2, Hitler sentenced 20,000 Jews to be shot by the Danube river. The Jews were forced to remove their shoes before being killed (as it was a valuable commodity) and falling into the water so that their bodies could be washed away. The statue shoes are thus a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives.
Fat Policeman
On a brighter note, this policeman statue, located near the St Stephen’s Basilica, has a shiny belly from people rubbing it to bring them luck in love. As the legend goes, this man had a way with women and food. His big stomach is also a testament to how good Hungarian cuisine is.
Imre Nagy
Previously located near the Parliament Building, this statue has been moved to a less notable destination amidst protests from locals. Imre Nagy was once a freedom fighter for Hungary, who protested against communism and died for it. His political representation is still considered as prominent and radical today.
The Little Princess
Designed after Laszlo Marton’s daughter, this statue is a little girl dressed up like a princess in a bathrobe and paper crown sitting along the railing of the train station. Like the policeman mentioned earlier, you can rub her knees for luck to achieve your aspirations.
Anonymous
Writers such as yours truly will get a kick out of this statue. Modeled after the anonymous writer who wrote on the history of the early Magyars, this hooded figure has a pen in his hand. Fellow writers stroke the pen in hopes of inspiration.
The Garden of Philosophy
Founders of the world’s religions (Abraham, Jesus, Buddha, Laozi and Akhenaten) gather in a circle, around an orb that represents the similarities of their beliefs. Provokingly, it is to promote a mutual understanding of faiths.
Just next to it, is also a statue of King Buda, hugging his wife, Princess Pest, to symbolize the reunion of the 2 cities.
Statue of Attila József
This poor poet wrote about politically liberal ideals which only became famous after the war and his suicide. The present government has plans to remove him from his spot by the river which he once wrote a poem about, so visit before its gone!
Other statues
There are many other statues that will catch your eye and are fun to pose with. For example, I spotted the Ibis Hotel ghost statue while walking past from Heroes’ Square.
I also encountered this art installation of cars outside the Arena Shopping Mall.
There were many other statues of dogs and political leaders. They are fascinating and worth searching for to learn about the city and post on the gram!
