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Offered languages
- German
- German
- English
- English
Historians still argue what to call the events that were triggered by a peaceful solidarity rally of Hungarian students with the Polish people on October 23rd, 1956: a rebellion, revolt, uprising, popular uprising, revolution, counter-revolution, or War of Independence.
The best definition comes from Sándor Márai’s poem, Angel from heaven, written for the Christmas of 1956: “A nation said: Enough!”.
The events of 1956 shook not only the communist world, but had lasting effects on world politics. The brief period of breathing “freedom at last” gave courage and strength to Hungarians to survive the rest of foreign tyranny until it finally collapsed in 1989.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We can meet you at whichever hotel you are staying in Budapest, or from a central point we agree upon.
Itinerary
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1Kossuth Lajos Square
We will visit Kossuth Square where the Hungarian parliament stands. Aside from several other impressive buildings on the square, we will see where, following a mass demonstration in 1956, dozens were massacred by the government.
25 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Margaret Bridge
On the banks of the Danube, close to Margit Bridge, stands a building which in communist times was dubbed The White House. It was the Party HQ of the Hungarian communist government. We will visit this and also take a look at the statue of Imre Nagy, Prime Minister in 1956 who was later murdered.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3
Going south from Margaret Bridge, we arrive to Bem Square. The square saw 200,000 Hungarian students protesting against Soviet rule in 1956, in a rally that was originally organized to support Polish workers. We will also visit Bambi Eszpresszó, a shelter for Buda-side intellectuals in Frankel Leó utca, has been going strong since the 1960s, and has maintained both the same atmosphere and the same interior design ever since.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4
Sándor Petöfi was the key figure in the 1948 revolution, and as such he came to represent all struggle against government. The statue is a meeting point for political events and protesters still today. The famous actor Sinkovits Imre came here to the statue in 1956 and recited the words of Petöfi which incite revolution; he was subsequently arrested and imprisoned.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Hungarian National Museum
Located along the tiny, one-way Sándor Bródy Street, Budapest’s Magyar Rádió Building (also known as Radio Budapest) is somewhat secluded from the city’s more bustling thoroughfares. The Radio building was one of the epicentres of fighting in 1956, and it was from here revolutionaries begged for help from the world at large.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6
On the south-east part of Budapest's city, Corvin köz was the major resistance center, where in 1956 local youngsters fought the invading Russians with Molotov cocktails and guns they stole from soldiers to fight against Soviet tanks. We will look at the reminders of the battles here and talk about the invasion of 1956 and its aftermath.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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