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Frequently Asked Questions

• Who designed the Park, who was the builder and when was it built?
  Statue Park was designed by an architect, Mr. Akos Eleőd, who won the competition announced by the Budapest General Assembly (Fővárosi Közgyűlés) in 1991 not only with his concept for the placement of the statues, but with his plans for certain cultural-turistical institutions to be established on the square in front of the Park itself. The Self-Government of Budapest had the Park built in 1992-93.
  
  
• When was Statue Park opened?
  The Grand Opening was held on June 29, 1993, the second anniversary of the withdrawal of the Russian troops from Hungarian territory. After some smaller construction works, in the fall of 1993, the Park became open for the general public as well.
  
  
• Who owns the Park, who operates it and what kind of aids does it receive?
  Statue Park is the property of the Hungarian State. It is operated by a private venture as a tenant, solely on its own receipts, coming from ticket prices and the earnings of the Souvenir Shop of the Park.
  
  
• How come that someone starts to run a museum like this?
  The present renter of the Park used to participate in cultural and touristic projects, and presently is involved in publishing, pop music merchandising, Internet and organising exhibitions. To operate Statue Park proved to be a lot more exciting and challenging feat than a buffet at a cinema. Here, an utterly unknown institution concerning ambivalent political matters had to be introduced on the touristic market. It was a grulling task, but the high number of visitors and their acknowledging words verify that we were successful.
  
  
• How can you advertise such an institution?
  In Hungary, it's not easy to advertise sTatue Park in a way that it might not hurt the feelings of those who haven't been able to forget their grievances engendered by the Communist regime, and at the same time, it should not seem Communist propaganda. We had to find marketing strategies that attract visitors and raise attention, similarly they comply with the concept of the Park: "no irony, memento". Therefore, to the Hungarian audience, we propagate our institution in cultural programme guides, while fliers and other eye-catching ads are most primarily postered at places easily accessible to tourists.
  
  
• How many visitors does the Park have annually, and where are they coming from?
  Within a year, approximately forty thousand people visit the Park, Hungarians and foreigners in equal portions. Foreigners are likely to come from the more distant parts of the world, that is, from countries that were further from the "Eastern wind" in a geographical sense as well. Regarding the number of visitors, Statue Park holds a very impressive position on the list of museums in Budapest; it is the 10th-15th most visited one.
  
  
• Who are the visitors?
  Many people are mistaken in believing that first and foremost Communist-hearted people visit the Park. Probably they do, but they're obviously not the majority. Hungarians come mostly because they are wondering what happened to these statues, or they'd like to show their children or grandchildren the material memories of this period. Foreigners are driven by curiousity; for them, the Park may be the only way to take a look into the world "behind the Iron Curtain". More and more groups are coming from schools, who happen to visit the institution within the framework of a class in history or history of art.
  
  
• What does visitors think of Statue Park?
  According to the questionnaires placed in the park, people usually like the collection and are glad to know that these statues have not been destroyed. They know that these statues belong to the history of Hungary and would be useless to deny them. At the same time, it's good to know that they do not deface the most beautiful squares of Budapest any longer.
  
  
• How many statues are exhibited, why exactly this much and will there be more?
  In the park, 42 works are exhibited; half of them are great-sized pieces, the others are memorials, relieves, or busts. These were collected from the streets of Budapest; those from the countryside are waiting to be exhibited in local collections or museums. 2 or 3 memorials remained at their original places in Budapest, or were re-stationed above the graves of Soviet soldiers died in World War II. Since the Park tries to save the historical moment of 1992, more statues cannot be placed here.
  
  
• Why isn't there a single Stalin-statue in the collection?
  The one and only Stalin statue of Budapest was destroyed in the Revolution of 1956, the crowd hurled it down and chopped it up.
  
  
• Are there any political programmes, commemorations in the Park?
  No, since this does not match the basic concept of the Park. This is not a memorial but a museum.
  
  
• Is it possible to rent Statue Park for a movie shooting, or other happennings?
  Yes, if it does not bother the continous operation. Many scenes of Hungarian or foreign movies have already been shot in the Park (Megint tanú, Redline); also, it's a popular place for shooting short music videos (Webb Brothers, Beatrice, The From), even company programmes with several hundred guests have already been held here.
  
  
• Is tourist-guiding an available option?
  There is no twenty-four-seven duty on this position, but by advanced request, for additional cost, we can provide this service in Hungarian, English, German and Italian languages.
  
  
• How can tourists orientate in the Park when there is no guide?
  In the Souvenir Shop of the Park, a 36-page booklet is available in Hungarian, English, German, French and Italian languages, in which the most important data (title of the statue, its author, where it stood, its history and other details, stories, as well as many pictures taken of the pictures in their original places) can be found.
  
  
• How long does it take to visit Statue Park?
  Approximately 20-40 minutes, but of course we've had guests who finished within one and a half second, as well as those, who arrived at 11 AM and left at closing.
  
  
• Are there such institutions elsewhere?
  In Central-Europe, there is not a single museum similar to this, in the territory of the former Soviet Union, that is Russia and its post-states, there occur smaller and larger collections. The most well-known might be the Lithuanian Soviet Statue park and also the Lithuanian Communist Theme Park, the "spine-chillingly amusing" Stalin's World.
  
  
• What kind of souvenirs can be purchased in the Statue Park?
  In the Souvenir Shop of the Park special goods can be purchased, meaning that everything here is connected to the exhibited statues and the era portrayed. Besides postcards, there are books, songs of the Movement on CD and cassette, CD-ROM about Statue Park. There are replicas of Stalin and Lenin statues, Trabant car models, original Soviet medals, postcards, watches, stamps, as well as funny T-shirts, and the "last breath of Communism" in a can Besides cash, EC/MC and VISA cards are also accepted.
  
  
• What other sights are in the neighborhood?
  South-Buda has many interesting places, and their only disadvantage is that they are quite far away from one another. (Unfortunately, we cannot always provide you with the exact Opening Hours, even those indicated here are only informative, so please, before leaving ask for information from the given institutions!)
  
  
• Kamaraerdő, Tétényi Fennsík (beauty spots)
• Száraz-Rudnyánszky Castle (Nagytétény Castle-museum, with a collection of furniture & tile-stoves famous all over Europe,1225 Budapest, Kastélypark utca 9/11, (1) 207 5462)
• Museum of Radio- and Television History (2049 Diósd, Radio Station, Kőbányai út, Tel: (23) 382 372, Open every day except Monday 10-16 óra között)
• Budafok wine-cellars, 220-hectolitres Seybold-cask (Péter Pál utca 39.)
• Czuba-Durolzier Castle, Sacellary-castle, Törley-castle, György-villa
• Saint Lipót temple, St. Peter and Paul chapel, St. Michael chapel,
• Nagyboldogasszony Parsonage
• Törley Mausoleum (Sarló utca)
• Cave-dwelling Museum (Veréb utca 4, Registration: Mező utca 52 - Lakatos, Ope only on Wednesday and Sunday)
• St. Christoph Jazz Gallery (Kossuth Lajos utca 88.)
• Summer Bob-course and Mini golf (Route 7, within 2 kms from Sasadi street)
• Tropicarium (Campona Shopping Mall, 1222 Budapest, Nagytétényi út 27/47, (1) 424 3050, Open every day between10 and 20)
  
  
• Are there any restaurants in Statue Park or nearby?
  Although there is no such facility in the Park itself, many can be found in the neighborhood. (Following the phone numbers, their distance from the Park is marked).
• Akácos Restaurant, Nagytétényi út 174. 226-7173 (3000 m)
• Barackos Restaurant, Pub and Disco, Barackos út 110. 228-9263 Entrance to the Sacristan, Szabadság utca 1, Telefon 226 8526 (5000 m)
• Wine-catacombs Restaurant, Nagytétényi út 64. 227-0070
• Campona Barbecue Restaurant, Nagytétényi út 37-45. 424-3056 (3000 m)
• Stephen Ranch, Magdolna utca 24, Telefon: 229-0139 Kammerwald Restaurant (500 m)
• Castle Restaurant, Szentháromság tér 1-3. 226-8378 (5500 m)
• Blue Walnut Tree Restaurant, Kiránduló utca 71. 226-7276
• Mercurius Pub, Kossuth Lajos utca 75. 226-7363
• Miska Restaurant, 4. utca 2. 226-7344
• Summer Bob-course Restaurant (5000 m)
• Promontor Restaurant, Kossuth Lajos utca 28. 226-8428 (2500 m)
• Rákóczi Restaurant, Bocskai utca 10/A. 226-2947
• Rose Garden Disco Biliard Club, Park utca 2/C. 326-7288
• St. Orban Restaurant, Gerinc utca 125. 226-2349
• Tulip Restaurant, Nagytétényi út 165. 227-4533