Concept and architectural design by Akos Eleod, Ybl- and Podmaniczky-prize winning architect. “This Park is about dictatorship, but as soon as this can be talked about, described and built, the park is already about democracy. After all, only democracy can provide the opportunity for us to think freely about dictatorship, or about democracy, come to that, or about anything.” (Ákos Eleőd, architect of Memento Park)
Gigantic Ghost and Statues from the Communist Dictatorship
Memento Park offers an exciting travelling back in time, forgotten statues of the communist dictatorship from behind the Iron Curtain. Exhibition of the 1956 revolution and 1989-90 political changes. The barrack-documentary explains the political secret service. How to recruit an agent? What are the secret surveillance methods? In the vintage gift shop contemporary items, posters and other interesting gifts can be found. In the shadow of public statues from the communist dictatorship you can experience what it was like to sit in a Trabant car, you can also „phone” Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Che Guevara and many more former party leaders. At memento park by taking the informative guided tour you will have the opportunity to get all the answers to your questions related to the subject: How could Stalin leave his boots behind in Budapest, although he had never even been to the city? Is Lenin holding a hat in his hand and has one on his head as well? What did Nikita Khrushchev say when he once visited the Csepel Factory? Why Hungary was named the „happiest barrack”? How many people could actually fit in the Trabant car? On Stalins’ pedastal you can try out the „waving balcony” and feel what it was like to be a communist party leader in those old days on big communist holidays and festivals. Within Memento Park, Statue Park itself is one of the most unique tourist destinations in Budapest, and also it has great photo opportunities for the visitors. It is an exciting and special place to visit when you are in Budapest.
*****
“The Memento Park is a museum of an historical era, simultaneously presenting the themes of dictatorship and democracy. The Memento Park was built according to the conceptual design of the architect Akos Eleod. An "atmosphere of dictatorship" is created by these threatening monumental reminders of authority. However, in their new location, the positioning of the statues and accompanying buildings demonstrate to us that they are now simply the historical witnesses of the fact that there was once an era which expressed itself through these threatening symbols.”
(Geza Boros, Art Historian)
