Exploring Budapest’s WWII Soviet Siege: A Captivating Open-Air Exhibition – See The Images
The city of Budapest is currently hosting an open-air exhibition commemorating the siege of the city during World War II. The exhibition, titled “Twelve Weeks in Hell – The Siege of Budapest on the Castle Hill”, is organized by the Castle Police and the Hungarian Museum of Architecture and Historic Monuments Documentation Centre. It aims to remember the horrors that the city’s inhabitants faced during the siege.
The siege, which took place in late 1944 and early 1945, trapped nearly 800,000 people within the city walls. The Castle District, in particular, was vulnerable to attacks as it housed the German defence center. Civilians sought refuge in underground spaces and struggled to survive without basic necessities like electricity and water. The city finally fell under Soviet control after fifty days of intense fighting.
For decades, the siege was a suppressed trauma in society, with official historiography failing to acknowledge the suffering experienced by the population. It was only after the fall of communism in 1990 that the history of the siege could be openly discussed. The current exhibition aims to capture the architectural heritage of the city and remind present generations of the horrors of war.
The exhibition features illuminated installations and panels depicting the experiences of the inhabitants during the siege. It will be open to the public until the end of March. Accompanying programs, including presentations by historians and educational activities for students, are also planned.
Visitors can also pick up a free map supplement entitled “Then and Now” at the Information Point of the Palace of the Guards to explore the present-day sites featured in the exhibition. All texts at the exhibition are available in English, and QR codes are provided for visitors to learn more about the specific locations within the Buda Castle District.
The open-air exhibition serves as a poignant reminder of the city’s wartime experiences and the resilience of its inhabitants during a challenging period in history.
