MEMENTO PARK
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
This open-air museum is home to over 40 communist statues, created between 1949 and 1989, which were removed after the collapse of communism in Hungary. Instead of destroying the statues, such as those of Lenin, Marx, Engels and soldiers of the Red Army, Memento Park was established to display them. The purpose of the park is not to honour these statues, the people or the communist regime, but to allow visitors to think freely about dictatorship and democracy. A replica of Stalin’s giant boots, which remained after a statue of Stalin was torn down during Hungary’s October Revolution in 1956, is one of the park’s most notable displays. Aside from the statues, Memento Park contains the Barrack Photo Exhibition, which documents the 1956 revolution as well as the end of the communist system in 1989-90. There is also the Barrack Cinema, which features a montage of films used to train secret police agents, teaching them how to hide bugs, search houses, network and recruit others. Visitors can also see an original Trabant car and even enjoy a short ride around the park in the iconic vehicle. Guided tours of Memento Park are available for those who wish to delve deeper into the history of the site and of communism in Hungary.
Open daily from 10am to 6pm (May to October) & 10am to 4pm (November to April) Tickets: 1800 HUF. mementopark.hu