Budapest then and now – photos, video of the 1956 revolution vs nowadays

The significance of the 1956 Hungarian revolution is undeniable. Besides reading about the memories and recollections of those who lived through the events, it is fascinating to look at photos and compare the past to the present. Thanks to Marc Redmond photo artist, we can do just that and get lost through the pictures in the Budapest then and now.

Recently, we have reported about several aspects of the revolution, since the anniversary has just passed. There were strong international reactions already at the time, coming from Elvis Presley or the Time magazine, just to mention a few. The Cairo Symphony Orchestra also expressed solidarity with Hungarians during a recent concert. Now, we turn closer to home and look at some of the important Budapest locations of the revolution.

Móricz Zsigmond Circus (Móricz Zsigmond körtér)

During the revolution, this square was one of the most important centres of resistance among civilians. Some sources say that the biggest confrontations here took place between 24-26 Octobre and 4-5 November, just after each time the Soviet troops arrived. It is a crucial location as tanks approached the bridges of Budapest on a nearby road. Many of them were stopped here by civilians.

On 27 Octobre, resistant groups were forced out of the area. However, they later returned. It is said that people protesting in the area were not punished, because they were difficult to identify.