Milleniumi Emlékmű

Hősök tere (meaning "Heroes' Square" in Hungarian) is one of the major squares of Budapest, Hungary, rich with historic and political connotations. It lies at the end of Andrássy Avenue (with which it comprises part of an extensive World Heritage site), next to City Park.

Fényképalbum

At the front of the monument is a large stone cenotaph surrounded by an ornamental iron chain. The cenotaph is dedicated "To the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of our people and our national independence." While some guide books refer to this as a "tomb" it is not a burial place.

Directly behind the cenotaph is a column topped by a statue of the archangel Gabriel. In his right hand the angel holds the Holy Crown of St. Stephen (Istvan), the first king of Hungary. In his left hand the angel holds a two barred apostolic cross, a symbol awarded to St. Stephen by the Pope in recognition of his efforts to convert Hungary to Christianity. In Hungarian it is referred to as the double cross or the apostolic double cross.

At the base of the column is a group of seven mounted figures representing the Magyar chieftains who led the Hungarian people into the Carpathian basin. In the front is Árpád, considered the founder of the Hungarian nation. Behind him are the chieftains Előd, Ond, Kond, Tas, Huba, and Töhötöm (Tétény).

The back of the monument consists of two matched colonnades, each with seven statues representing great figures of Hungarian history. Topping the outer edge of the left colonnade is a statue of a man with a scythe and a woman sowing seed representing Labor and Wealth. In the corresponding position on the right colonnade is a statue of a man holding a statue and a woman with a palm frond representing Knowledge and Glory. At the inner top edge of the left colonnade is a male figure driving a chariot using a snake as a whip representing War, while on the facing end of the right colonnade is a female figure in a chariot holding a palm frond representing Peace.

Gábriel arkangyal a tér közepén lévő oszlop tetején (kép: Tóth Anna)

This is a list of the statesmen who are portrayed by the sculptures in the semi-circular arcades of the monument. The topic of the relief below each figure is given below the name.

Stephen I
St. Stephen receives the crown from an emissary of the Pope

Ladislaus I
St. Ladislaus slays the Cumanian abductor

Coloman
Coloman prohibits the burning of witches

Andrew II
Andrew leads a crusade

Béla IV
Béla rebuilds the country after the Mongol invasion

Charles I
Ladislaus IV defeats Ottogar at the battle of Marchfeld

Louis I
Louis the Great occupies Naples

János Hunyadi
The battle of Nándorfehérvár

Matthias Corvinus
Matthias with his scholars

István Bocskay
Hajdú soldiers defeat the imperial forces

Gabriel Bethlen
Bethlen concludes a treaty with Bohemia

Imre Thököly
The battle of Szikszó

Francis II Rákóczi
Rákóczi returns from Poland

Lajos Kossuth
Kossuth rallies the peasants of the Great Plain