- Budapest
Live guide: English, Hungarian
Think history is a thing of the past? Think again! At Memento Park in Budapest, the all-too-recent ghost of Communism is ever-present. This unique and arresting cultural site commemorates Communism's cult of personality, by displaying towering statues of ideology all-stars like Stalin, Lenin, Marx, and Engels.
As you wander through the park, you'll happen across 42 real communist-era propaganda statues, all stripped of their obedient crowds and armies. It's a study on dictatorship, democracy, and the fragile balance between them - and it is rather mind-blowing.
It's a startling experience to come face-to-face with very real relics of totalitarian ideology. Memento Park features statues removed after the fall of Hungarian Communism, and allows you to think about them freely.
After familiarizing yourself with the crushing boots of communist propaganda, you'll be ready to step into the shoes of a secret police agent. The Life of an Agent is a short film made using original footage, that documents the formerly secret and often brutal tactics used by communist-era spies and police.
A final photo-op with the iconic Trabant car will complete your visit. This vehicle has become deeply symbolic of the struggles of communist manufacturing due to its total lack of tachometer, headlights, indicators, fuel gauge, rear seat belts, or external fuel door.