Liberty Square, Budapest

Liberty Square is a large landscaped plaza in central Pest, laid out in the late nineteenth century on the site of a demolished military barracks. It is ringed by grand buildings, including the headquarters of the Hungarian National Bank and the former stock exchange, and holds several notable and contested monuments. Among them stand a Soviet war memorial, a statue of Ronald Reagan, and a controversial memorial to the victims of the German occupation. Fountains and playgrounds animate the square, which serves as a diplomatic and public space.