HISTORICAL EXHIBITION

Among the most compelling highlights of the renewed Citadel is the exhibition The Bastion of Liberty. Housed within the Western Round Bastion and spanning more than 1,700m², the exhibition traces Hungary’s long struggle for freedom. It brings to life the defining personalities and families who, across centuries, stood firm in defence of independence.
At the heart of the exhibition lies a compelling guiding idea: whoever held Gellért Hill held symbolic authority over the nation. Through successive eras, different powers placed their own architectural and ideological markers upon this summit – cross, mosque, imperial Habsburg fortress, Soviet monument – each proclaiming dominion over the country in its time. The exhibition weaves this layered symbolism into a spatial narrative, guiding visitors through Hungary’s past as the hill itself once guided the fate of the city below.

Emese, the mythical mother of Álmos (the head of the seven Hungarian tribes who founded Hungary), narrates thirteen centuries of Hungarian history, leading visitors from the era of the Conquest to the modern age. The experience is supported by strong visual and cinematic elements, allowing visitors to engage personally with key moments from the past. Visitors move from one historical period to another as if passing through a sequence of gateways. They begin their journey in the world of the Hungarian Conquest and the founding of the state, followed by the periods of Ottoman occupation, Habsburg rule, the kuruc uprisings against the Habsburgs, and the events of the 1848–49 Revolution and War of Independence. The narrative then charts a course through the world wars, Trianon, the Soviet occupation, the 1956 Revolution and the era of reprisals, concluding with the regime change and the restoration of national sovereignty.

The exhibition places special emphasis on the historical role of women. It recalls the women of different eras who held their ground – behind the scenes or on the barricades. They cared for the wounded, offered refuge, carried messages, or took up arms against oppression, showing how the cause of freedom so often drew strength from the everyday courage of families.
The exhibition is both visually engaging and intellectually reflective. It recalls the determination of historical figures, the strength of communities, and the challenges overcome in the pursuit of freedom. Through the history and symbolism of Gellért Hill, visitors gain insight into the courage of those who believed in independence and liberty. The experience honours the past while carrying a message for the present: the defence of freedom has always been a shared responsibility. The great figures of Hungarian history stand as enduring examples of this shared endeavour.