Along the ramp leading to the Gloriette at the Castle Garden Bazaar, From Oppression to Freedom – The History of the Citadella on Gellért Hill unfolds as an open-air exhibition, tracing the past and present of Gellért Hill and the Citadella from their earliest beginnings to the present day.

Through the changing fate of the Citadella a winding tale emerges – one of oppression, destruction and renewal. Guiding visitors step by step, the exhibition reveals the historical process by which the destinies of Gellért Hill and the Citadella became irrevocably entwined with the defining fateful moments of Hungarian history. In ten freestanding, illuminated installations – twenty panels in all – the Castle Garden Bazaar’s open-air display brings vividly to life the history of Gellért Hill and the Citadella. Not only does it recall the site’s religious traditions and military roles, but it also renders with striking clarity the long transformation through which the fortress – raised as a stark emblem of Austrian imperial absolutism after the suppression of the War of Independence of 1848–49 – came, in time, to stand as one of the city’s defining symbols. So complete has this transformation been that today it emerges as a renewed open community space for all. Free to visit, the exhibition may be viewed until mid-April along the ramp leading to the Gloriette at the Castle Garden Bazaar.