Heroes’ Square
Heroes’ Square hides stories of Hungary’s past. Explore its statues, monuments, and secrets, and put your wits to the test in a puzzle-filled adventure through history
Heroes’ Square hides stories of Hungary’s past. Explore its statues, monuments, and secrets, and put your wits to the test in a puzzle-filled adventure through history
Explore Budapest and uncover the secrets hidden within its history!
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Unravel the secrets of Budapest’s legendary square
Heroes’ Square is one of Budapest’s most important and iconic public spaces, located at the end of Andrássy Avenue next to City Park. It was created in 1896 to mark the thousandth anniversary of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin and the foundation of the Hungarian state.
The square’s centerpiece is the Millennium Monument, featuring a 36‑metre high column topped by a statue of the Archangel Gabriel and surrounded by sculptures of important figures in Hungarian history. On either side, a semicircular colonnade holds further statues of kings and national leaders.
Heroes’ Square and Andrássy Avenue together are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their cultural and historical significance.
📍 YX°30'Z2.3"N 19°0Y'40.0"E
X: Leaders of tribes who first arrived...count them all.
Y: Individual people atop the colonnades...remove the number of wrong ones.
Z: First word of the hungarian name of this square...how many letters?
Heroes’ Square in Budapest honors the leaders and legacy of Hungary. At its base stand the seven chieftains who led the Magyar (Hungarian) tribes during the Honfoglalás, the conquest of the Carpathian Basin in the late 9th century.
Above them, the four statues atop the colonnades symbolize fundamental forces shaping society: War, Peace, Labour, Wealth, Knowledge and Glory.
The square's Hungarian name is "Hősök tere" which bears the same meaning as in English.
You know where to go next.
📍 47°30'52.3"N 19°04'40.0"E
Among the countless stones, one bears the mark of a cyclops. It looks upward through stone, yet sees nothing at all.
Find the watcher in the ground. Stand with a foot on either side of its gaze. Turn toward the trees beyond the square. Now War shall be no more.
Only then are you where you must be.
You are looking for a street stone with a hole in it. Stand with one foot on each side of it, and turn towards the park.
Move northwest for eight measures, Turn northeast for six, Then once more northwest for five. Pause, and face northeast again.
Continue forward as the tribes did when the horizon opened before them. Two rivers will soon bar your passage. They do not roar, nor do they flow, yet they divide the ground like the Danube and the Tisza divides the land. Cross them without hesitation, for arrival only comes to those who dare the waters.
Beyond the crossing, continue until you are greeted by The Raven.
“Greetings traveler!”
You stand before me, I am frozen in stone, my reign eternal. See how my hand rests upon power — yet power will not reveal the way. Cast your gaze downward, where a building of my reign lies quiet in stone.
Notice well, and speak what building you see.
Look at the building carved beneath the statue — its tall spire and roof show a sacred place in Buda
Matthias Corvinus (1458–1490) was one of the most powerful and influential rulers of medieval Hungary. Crowned king at just 14 years old, he strengthened the kingdom through military reform, centralization of power, and an efficient tax system that allowed him to maintain a strong standing army known as the Black Army.
A Renaissance ruler, Matthias supported scholars, artists, and architects, transforming Buda into a center of humanist culture in Central Europe. His famed library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana, was one of the largest and most important collections of books on the continent at the time.
Through military campaigns, he expanded Hungarian influence into Austria and parts of Bohemia, even ruling Vienna for a period. Though his empire weakened after his death, Matthias Corvinus remains a legendary figure in Hungarian history — remembered as a just king, a warrior, and a patron of learning.
The building on the copper relief is the Matthias Church, located in the heart of Buda, next to the Fisherman’s Bastion. It has been a site of coronations and historical events for centuries. Today, the church can be visited, and its halls and spires remain open to the public.
“As we move from dusk to dawn on this square, for us heroes, each day is like all of history passing by.
Find the man who wakes the earliest, when the hand reaches morning — and send him my regards.”
Look at the column. Who does its shadow fall on first in the morning?
“Greetings friend!”
I am Stephen I, the first king of Hungary. In the year 1000, I was crowned to unite the Magyar tribes under one Christian kingdom. I worked tirelessly to organize the state, establish churches and bishoprics, and introduce laws to guide my people. Through diplomacy and faith, I strengthened Hungary’s ties with Europe and sought to secure a lasting legacy for my descendants.
I have even heard from other travelers that they named the biggest church here in Budapest after me! What an honour! They even display my 1000 year old mummified right hand in there!
Ah, I see that Matthias sent you. There is no way for us to talk to each other since we are made of stone and he is too far away from me, so I am happy that you are here! But I wonder what he could want from me? Ah yes, of course, he wants me to guide you further. But...first..I am dying to know which country you come from, Budapest has evolved into such an international city!
1: 5, 6, 8
2:
3: 1
4:
5:
6: 4
7: 9
8:
9:
10: 5
11:
12:
13:
14: ú, 6
There are fourteen heroes, 1 to 14 from left to right. Read their names and count!
“Yes, "Titkos kút" is right!
Go there and find out the depth!”
Use all available tools...you have something in your hand...
You are standing at the very center of Hősök tere, before the Cenotaph of Heroes (Hősök emlékköve). A cenotaph is an empty tomb — a symbolic memorial honoring those who died, even though their remains are not buried here. This stone represents the nation’s fallen heroes and serves as a place of remembrance at the heart of the square.
Before the Millennium Monument rose above you, this spot was marked by the Gloriette fountain, built in 1886 above an artesian well that brought thermal water to the surface. The structure celebrated this engineering achievement and stood here until the square was redesigned for the Millennium celebrations. It was later dismantled and rebuilt on Széchenyi Hill, where it still stands today as a lookout tower overlooking Budapest.
Saving a Hungarian girl from a Cuman abductor: 7
Leading a Crusade to the Holy land: 4
p
Hajdú soldiers defeat the Habsburg imperial forces: 12
The Siege of Belgrade (1456): 9
A picture tells more than a thousand words.
Árpád was the grand prince of the Hungarians at the end of the 9th century and is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Hungarian state. He led the Magyar tribes into the Carpathian Basin around 895–896 during the period known as the Hungarian Conquest. Under his leadership, the Magyars established permanent settlements in the region, laying the foundations of what would later become Hungary.
Árpád stands prominently at the center of the Millennium Monument, symbolizing his central role in Hungarian history. Surrounding him are statues of the other six chieftains of the seven Magyar tribes who participated in the conquest: Előd, Ond, Kond, Tas, Huba, and Töhötöm. Together, they represent the unity and strength of the early Hungarian tribes and their lasting impact on the nation’s identity.
Go meet him!
”Greetings, traveler!”
You have reached the end of your journey, you just have to solve my final riddle and you will have discovered all the secrets of this historical place. Listen carefully.
Become Turul and watch down on us,
when the day is giving life from the southwest,
and darkness rules towards the opposite,
a weapon of my time will be revealed,
by the tallest’s darkness,
and by the two homes of the heroes,
its English name will be the answer.
Look down on the square from the air. You know how. The colonnades and the shadow of the great column at the right hour will form the weapon you are looking for.
“The bow and arrow were our main weapons. On horseback, we could strike from a distance, move quickly, and vanish before the enemy could respond. It allowed us to fight larger armies and take these lands. Our conquest depended on the horse and the bow.
Well done! You have solved all the riddles of the Heroes’ Square. Go in peace and enjoy these discounts I give you.“