Renovated in the early 2010s, Kossuth Lajos Square is the symbolic centre of Hungary. The Hungarian Parliament overlooks it, and it has numerous statues and monuments commemorating the great patriots of the past.

Among these is the Kossuth Memorial, which gives the square its name. Lajos Kossuth was Hungary’s leader during the 1848 Revolution, renowned at home and abroad for his rousing speeches. Kossuth came to represent Hungary’s long struggle for freedom and democracy, both in his own days when it was ruled from Austria, and its later Soviet domination. Kossuth’s speeches caught the attention even of British and American writers.

You’ll also find a statue of the Hungarian poet Attila József. One of József’s best-known poems is “By the Danube”, and fittingly his statue has been moved close to the Danube river bank, on the southern part of the square. National hero Francis Rákóczi has a statue here, for his part in resisting Austrian rule in the 18th century. Gyula Andrássy, Prime Minister 1867-71, is up for similar reasons, after disappearing under the post-war communist regime. Another Prime Minister is here, in the form of István Tisza.

Some people have criticised the preponderance of dead noblemen here, arguing that it says something about Hungary’s real attitude to democracy. Those points aside, the memorials will help you make sense of the country’s complicated history. The square itself is shiny and new, and various educational tours are available.