Liberty Statue (Budapest)

The Szabadság Szobor or Statue of Liberty (sometimes Freedom Statue) in Budapest, Hungary, was first erected in 1947 in remembrance of the Soviet liberation of Hungary from Nazi forces during World War II. Its location upon Gellért Hill makes it a prominent feature of Budapest's cityscape.

The 14 meter tall bronze statue stands atop a 26 meter pedestal and holds a palm leaf. Two smaller statues are also present around the base, but the original monument consisted of two more originally that have since been removed from the site and relocated to Statue Park. The monument was designed by Zsigmond Kisfaludi Stróbl.

At the time of the monument's construction, the repulsion of Nazi forces by the Soviets was officially proclaimed “liberation” -- leading to the original inscription upon the memorial (both in Hungarian and Russian):
A FELSZABADÍTÓ
SZOVJET HŐSÖK
EMLÉKÉRE
A HÁLÁS MAGYAR NÉP
1945
which can be translated to read: To the memory of the liberating Soviet heroes [erected by] the grateful Hungarian people [in] 1945

Over the following years, public sentiment toward the Soviets decreased to the point of revolution, which was attempted in 1956 and subsequently damaged some portions of the monument. After the 1989 transition from Communist rule to a more democratic government, the inscription was modified to read:
MINDAZOK EMLÉKÉRE
AKIK
ÉLETÜKET ÁLDOZTÁK
MAGYARORSZÁG
FÜGGETLENSÉGÉÉRT,
SZABADSÁGÁÉRT
ÉS BOLDOGULÁSÁÉRT
Translated from Hungarian: To the memory of those all who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom, and prosperity of Hungary

See also

• Hungary during World War II
• People's Republic of Hungary
• Hungarian Revolution of 1956
• List of statues by height

External links

• History of Liberty Statue
• Budapest Tourist Guide