The Best Public Art In Budapest

Over the last few years a street art revolution has been taking place in Budapest, with empty building façades being turned into works of art and modern murals joining statues and installations in making up part of the city’s artistic landscape. Check out these stunning pieces of public art across the city.

Neopaint Works

Budapest has a knack for making old, rundown buildings into something beautiful. While many have found a function as the world-famous ruin pubs we know and love today, a number of dilapidated buildings in the city have been transformed into works of art thanks to the Façade Rehabilitation Project. Neopaint Works, a group of street and graffiti artists, have been instrumental in this initiative, working their magic and contributing to a number of murals which can be admired from the street.

Szines Varos

In 2008, the Szines Varos (Colourful City) initiative was launched with the aim of bringing art outside, into the streets. Working to make the city more colourful, the group is also instrumental in the organisation of the now annual Szines Varos Festival which is held over the period of a month in late summer. During this time, a number of new murals and pieces of street art appear across the city.

1. Memorial to the 1956 Revolution

Memorial, Park

Monument to the 1956 Revolution, City Park, Budapest, Hungary

Created in honour of the 50th anniversary of the 1956 revolution, which saw a Hungarian uprising against the Communist regime brutally crushed, this memorial can be found in Budapest’s City Park. The columns, gradually increasing in size and losing their rusted appearance, represent people coming together and standing up for what they believe in; visitors can walk through the monument, immersing themselves in the history of the event.

2. Shoes On The Danube Bank

Building, Memorial

This poignant tribute to those who lost their lives during Nazi occupation in Hungary can be found in front of the Hungarian Parliament Building. Created in 2005 by film director Can Togay and sculptor Gyula Pauer, the memorial depicts 60 pairs of shoes, of various styles and sizes, made of cast iron – check out its full history here.