Anastasia Chukovskaya
The 14-meter Statue of Liberty on Gellért Hill is a great hallmark as it can be seen from every point in Buda and even central Pest without going by the Danube. It was erected in 1947 to commemorate the Soviet liberation of Hungary from Nazi forces during World War II. Soviet commander, legendary Marshal Voroshilov personally picked the location and the architect Zsigmond Stróbl.
The idea was a monument to Soviet soldiers and the bronze female figure with a palm wreath was completed in two years. Astonished people used to say it was so quickly as the Soviet commanders ordered the monument long before the victory. And some said the woman was supposed to hold a propeller instead of the wreath.
In 1989, the statue was attempted to be moved to Memento Park, to join other Soviet monuments but some people objected so it was renamed and all Soviet symbols removed, including the names of 164 fallen soldiers.
