On the Road: House The Terror in Budapest! June 25, 2014

June 25, 2014

Hungary has a rather complicated history on the road toward Democracy and Freedom. Aside from the fine art, we would like to learn a more cruel but realistic past of a state by visiting a rather unpleasant spot on our journey. In Poland we’ve witnessed Auschwitz and Birkenau Concentration Camps, in Hungary we proceed to House of Terror (Terror Háza in Hungarian), the Neo-renaissance building designed by Adolf Feszty in 1880, now a museum located at Andrássy út 60, Budapest, once a headquarter of Hungarian Nazi and communist ÁVH in the early 20^th century.

There are very limited pictures taken at the museum tour since shooting is prohibited at House of Terror. During the Second World War, Hungary came into the crossfire of the rise of dictatorships. Jews were forced to wear the yellow stars, and thousands of innocent Jews were shot and plunged into the icy Donau River. After the Arrow Cross Party tyrannical regime, Hungary ended up under the Soviet occupation in 1945. In House of Terror, those ÁVH members (which was similar to the Soviet Union KGB) tortured the victims during the interrogations, sent the citizens to the gallows or the cellars. At the second floor of the House, the exhibitions show the dining room and clothes changing room of Double Occupation from the 1940’s; taking the elevator down to the first floor, the short-film in the elevator tells the collective farmer’s sad story. 

There are several torture chambers and brigs, the narrowest room is nearly a standing coffin. Basement contains more prisons, cellars and retaliation devices, even numerous of crosses in Hall of Tears cannot shed my sorrows away. I feel the interior design is ‘too modern’ but lost certain origins due to the renovation in 2000. There are quite some school students having history class at House of Terror today. I wonder if they can recognize any of the face at the Perpetrator’s Gallery.

I haven’t taken any bath after 2007 due to the apartments I have lived only equipped showers. Happily, we are heading to the largest thermal spa of Europe. Széchenyi Medicinal Bath, built in 1913 in Neo-baroque style to the design of Győző Czigler. From the outer appearance, the building looks mottled and pied, but the entrance hall is rather classical antique. The adult ticket is 4000Huf, 25% off with Budapest card. By using this watch-alike e-ticket as also the key to the locker, visitors do not have to worry about the lost or destruction, quite a very smart design. 2 Outdoor pools and 15 indoor ones, I like this swirl pool and experience getting ‘flushed’ around with the stream. I am also very fond of this green thermal pool, feeling calm and 27 degrees perfect for me. Though I was trapped for around 5 minutes in the dressing room because of my foolishness on not unlocking the door by lifting up the bench, plus my stomach didn’t feel too good after devouring a large BRGR burger, I was wet and tired, only wanted to rest at hotel bed. Later I found my 5 hairpins rusty, but my left leg rash was getting better ever since.

House of Terror 

1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 60

www.houseofterror.hu