Hősök tere, or Heroes’ Square, is one of the most iconic and spacious squares in Budapest, Hungary. It is located at the western end of the Andrássy Avenue, next to the City Park. It is a popular tourist attraction, as well as a venue for many public events and celebrations.
The square was built in 1896 to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin and the foundation of the Hungarian state in 896. The centerpiece of the square is the Millennium Monument, which features statues of the Seven chieftains of the Magyars and other important Hungarian national leaders, as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes, often erroneously referred as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The square is flanked by two important buildings, the Museum of Fine Arts on the left and the Palace of Art (or Hall of Art) on the right.
The square has witnessed many historical events and changes in the past century. During the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919, the monument was draped in red cloth and the statue of Archangel Gabriel was replaced by a figure of Karl Marx. The statues of the Habsburg kings were removed and later restored after the fall of the regime.
Today, the square is a symbol of Hungarian history and identity, as well as a place of celebration and remembrance. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Budapest, along with the Andrássy Avenue and the underground metro line, which is the first in continental Europe.
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