IN MEMORIAM 1956 October 25th

IN MEMORIAM 1956 October 25th is an underground memorial and exhibition beside the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest. It focuses on the massacre at Kossuth Square on 25 October 1956, using museum objects, projected photographs, documentaries and survivors’ recollections to explain the events. Beyond the exhibition, a round memorial space gives visitors room for quiet reflection, with plaques naming victims and marking those whose identities are unknown. It is a compact stop for learning about a defining tragedy in modern Hungarian history and paying respects to those who died.

An underground memorial beside Parliament

The memorial and exhibition occupy an underground tunnel beside the Hungarian Parliament, on Kossuth Lajos tér. The space was originally designed for the building’s cooling, heating and ventilation systems. It now serves two connected purposes: presenting the history of the massacre at Kossuth Square on 25 October 1956 and providing a place to remember its victims.

The site was inaugurated on 25 October 2014. Its location links the exhibition to the square where the events it commemorates took place.

The exhibition and the victims’ names

The exhibition uses museum objects, projected images from the period and documentaries to recount the massacre. Survivors’ recollections add personal testimony to the account of the violence and its human cost. Taking time with these accounts can give the exhibits greater context.

A separate, circular memorial space offers a quieter place to pay respects. Plaques on its brick wall bear victims’ names, as well as marks for those whose identities remain unknown. Photography is not permitted inside, so visitors should experience the space without taking pictures.