A wonderful open-air plaza in the northeastern part of the city. It consists of two large curved colonnades featuring massive statues of the 14 greatest leaders in Hungarian history. At the beginning and end points of the curve are four statues -- Work and Wealth, War, Peace, and Honor and Glory. The monument serves as a gate into the Városliget (City Park). At the center of the square is the Millenniumi Emlékm (Millennium Monument) -- a 118-foot-tall column topped with a statue of the archangel Gabriel. It was built in 1896 to celebrate the city's 1,000th anniversary. At the base of the column is the National War Memorial -- Hungary's version of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This is where leaders from other countries come to lay wreaths and where Hungary remembers those who have died defending their homeland. As an outsider, the size and age of these monuments is an awesome sight. Unfortunately, the locals in their post-communist freedom don't seem to understand the gravity of the history of this place. Much like schoolchildren on field trips in Washington, D.C. climb over the monuments without regard to their meaning, flocks of children walk all over the marble slab of the War Memorial, even though it is sectioned off by a chain. They hoist each other onto the bronze figures of the ancient Magyar warriors who conquered this land 1,100 years ago and ride their skateboards roughshod over the grounds. However, it's hard to be critical of them, since the same thing happens to my country's monuments.

The 14 statues in the colonnade are:

• Szent István or Vajk (Saint Stephen) (970-1038) son of Magyar chieftain Géza and the first king of Hungary, crowned on Christmas day in the year 1000.
• Szent László (Saint Ladislas, also known as King Ladislas I) (1040-1095), who introduced Roman Catholicism to Croatia and expanded Hungary's borders into Transylvania.
• Könyves Kálmán (King Coloman The Possessor Of Books) (1070-1116), who overthrew Croatia in 1097 and seized the Dalmatian coast.
• King Andras (King Andrew II) (1175-1235), who issued a document called The Golden Bull of 1222 -- the Hungarian equivalent of the Magna Carta.
• King Béla IV (1206-1270), who had to flee his country during the tatárjárás (Mongol invasions). When the Mongol empire started to collapse he returned to Hungary to rebuild his ruined empire.
• Károly Róbert (King Charles Robert of Anjou) (1288-1342), formed alliances with Poland and Austria to stabilize the region and restore Hungary to a position of power. However, his plan to united the Kingdoms of Hungary and Naples was thwarted by the Pope who feared Hungary was becoming too powerful.
• Lajos Nagy (King Louis the Great) (1326-1382), fought several wars with Naples and Venice, and ruled Poland as Ludwik Wielki.
• János Hunyadi, (John Hunyadi) (1407-1456), governor general of Hungary and the hero of the wars against the Turks.
• Mátyás Corvin (King Matthias) (1443-1490), defended Hungary against the Turks who had taken Bosnia and Serbia. He also instituted a number of reforms to rid the country of feudal influences.
• Gábor Iktári Bethlen (Gábor Bethlen) (1580-1629), prince of Transylvania exiled from Hungary and forced to take up with the Turks until he could return to reclaim his post at the head of the Hungarian government.
• István Bocskai (1557-1606), when Hungary was carved up between the Ottoman and Habsburg empire, he aligned with the Turkish sultan to drive the Habsburgs out of Transylvania.
• Imre Thököly (1657-1705) led the Hungarian Protestant resistance against the Habsburg Empire.
• Ferenc Rákóczi II (1676-1753) led an unsuccessful Hungarian uprising against the Habsburg Empire. Exiled to Constantinople.
• Lajos Kossuth (1802-1894) led the revolt against Austria that was put down by the Russian army.