House of Terror Budapest Visit: (Museum of Terror)
House of Terror is now also known as the Museum of Terror. An imposing gray building on the famous Andrassy Boulevard, it is located between downtown (Octagon) and Heroes Square. It has served as a true house of horror through different regimes in Hungary.
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It served as the headquarters for the Hungarian Nazis and was known then as the House of Loyalty. It subsequently served as the party headquarters of the communist terror organization known as AVO, and the next group of bastards, the AVH.
It is so sad that this building sits right smack dab in the middle of stately homes and mansions which l am sure was exactly why it became a house of terror. You can bet they wanted the best for themselves. People in the area had their homes seized and were tortured and killed in this house.
Others ended up being sent to their gruesome deaths at the Nazi death camps. During World War 2, whilst under Nazi rule, the house of terror cellar continued to be a death house of sorts. Jewish people were forced to wear a yellow star and a lot were thrown into the Danube river.
A monument to the victims in the form of footwear is along the river as l wrote previously. Things were no better under the Soviet rule. Many more thousands died at the hands of the State security officers.
Photography is not allowed in the building, so we had to be sneaky to get you these shots. I think they might have meant flash wasn’t allowed, as the others in there were taking pictures and we were being followed by the guards but they did not say anything. The cameras were quite obvious. Cloak and dagger stuff.. 🙂
House of Terror Budapest History is not a pretty one at all. It is quite somber in the building. Upon entrance, you see the big army tank in the middle of the interior courtyard. Pictures of innocent victims envelope the walls. Some of them just have names with place holders, not even a picture to identify them.
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Once inside the house, there are television screens featuring survivors of these horrific times recounting their stories. It is so hard not to be moved by them. One poor man was used as an ashtray by a particularly sadistic officer. He would be made to kneel down holding an ashtray everywhere this officer went, and more often than not, the cigarette would be stubbed out on this man’s neck, arms, anywhere he desired to the amusement of his fellow officers.
It is amazing the resistance of the human spirit. It’s hard to imagine how people survive that and live to tell the tale.
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There were some rooms in the cellar that were so dark, you couldn’t see a thing. One of them was just enough to fit a person, just the outline of the body, you couldn’t stretch your arms or anything, it was like maybe 2 feet wide and 6 feet tall, with the slightest slit of an opening on the door, maybe 8 inches, just enough for the person to see out. One crazy guy actually went in the cell and asked my husband to shut him in. He said those seconds were hell. Imagine being left there for days.
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One of the things that thrilled me no end to know was that even some of these officers could not escape the same fate. As time went by, they turned on each other and were tortured with the very same methods by their underlings.
I was so glad we went to the house of terror on this visit. We had only passed it by on our prior visit as we didn’t have enough time. The house of terror museum Budapest entrance fee was €9. You can find more information on this museum in English at this site.
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I’m not a history buff, but l found House of Terror Budapest very educational. How about you? Is this something that you would be interested in seeing?
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I went to a similar places in Italy. The museum of Torture. It was lovely. lol! No, it was quite disturbing!
Like watching a train wreck..right? I don’t know if l could do the museum of torture though. We saw one in Tuscany, but l was too chicken to go in. I picture it being even worse.
We didn’t have time to make it to the House of Terror while in Budapest, but it’s something that I definitely wanted to check out. So thank you for being sneaky and for sharing this post and pics (smile)! I hate when sites don’t allow photos, by the way. The same was true of our visit to the Hospital in the Rock in Budapest – no pics allowed, and I didn’t have the courage to be sneaky. I agree with you that it’s good that the torturers got a taste of their own medicine – you reap what you sow! It’s just so horrible how people can be so disgusting and inhumane. But as you said, the human spirit is amazing, and I love hearing stories of survivors.
It was very interesting to see. Weird seeing personal effects of the prisoners like teeth etc. Human instinct for survival continually surprises me. The best part of the whole thing was learning that a bunch of them got sold out and tortured as well..Karma! We loved Budapest just as much this time around too. 🙂
I’ve never even heard of the house of terror, but thanks for sharing it. It’s always been shocking to me how brutal people were and can still be to this day. In St. Augustine FL, there’s an area under a light house that was used as a torture room. You can go in and see where people literally clawed scratches into the stone walls trying to get out. I guess if we don’t keep a vivid memory of history, it repeats itself…so thanks again for sharing!
It’s so hard to picture a torture room in Florida. I always just think of sun and fun. Evil lurks everywhere though. I am kind of sad at the state of the world right now. So many hotspots. We just never learn 🙁 thanks for stopping by.
I don’t know if I would visit this place. It’s so sad to know that so much pain and torture took place there. But as you mentioned it’s important to know our history so that we don’t repeat it.
I usually avoid places like this, but l wanted to go here. I don’t know a lot about Eastern European history and wanted to learn, but it was tough to see.
That place looks crazy!!! I know I would love it though.
I think l can safely say that you would love it.. 🙂
I’ve been to Budapest although it was years ago, and I’ve never heard of the House of Terror either. Would I go? Probably. For historical and informative reasons.
I am really glad we got to see it on this visit. It made it more real. You read about it, but to hear it directly from the victims was very moving.
My son is in Budapest for a few months and he said this was on his list. Interesting for sure, but UGH!
I understand your reaction. It is something pretty gruesome to see, but like Auschwitz, I think it deserves to be seen. How cool for your son to be there for such a long time :-).
I spent two months in Budapest and for some reason, I always delayed visiting the House of Terror… and it seems that I did a big mistake. But its name alone acted as a shield around the building 🙂
However, the stuff that this museum reminds us of shouldn’t be ignored – forgetting what happened in the past and how terrible were some of the things that human beings were doing… well, this can lead to us doing them again. So even though it’s not something you want to reminded of, I still believe that it’s an important part of history and, even more, a place we shouldn’t ignore like I did…
I think the Museum of Terror is a place that you have to be mentally prepared to see. We also walked past it for such a long time before we finally did. Much like Auschwitz, I think it’s important to see places like that for the reason that you stated. We don’t want this sort of horror repeated. It’s amazing how evil man can be. Budapest looking so pretty but the gruesome past is so shameful. I’m glad we got to see it. Very chilling experience.
I would be interested in visiting, although I am sure I would find it very hard to visit and it would probably haunt me for days afterwards. I have been to holocaust museums and always find it so incredibly sad and heart breaking.
It is definitely hard to visit. It took us a while to go even though we passed it on a daily basis as it was so close to our house exchange place. It reminded me a lot of Auschwitz. It’s amazing the evil that exists in humans, isn’t it?. Let’s hope that things keep getting better, no matter how doubtful it seems right now.
If and when we are allowed to leave Greece. . .we do want to head to Budapest and this is a definite Must Visit!
Haha!!! I bet you’ll hit the ground running. I can feel it in your words :-)! House of Terror deserves a visit, and it was never crowded. Most go to Budapest for the fun things.
Yes, I’d go there. Disturbing and fascinating at the same time. It’s horrifying to know what these people went through, but it’s important to remember these atrocities and the suffering and hope it doesn’t happen again. It’s kind of like the London Dungeon is the one place I have to go to every time I’m in London.
I think it’s important to see places like this like you say, no matter how unpleasant. History can not be allowed to repeat itself especially with the way things are now. I have yet to visit the London Dungeon..really need to make time to see it next time.
I think it’s important to visit these monuments of horror to learn about the terror and suffering inflicted on hundreds of thousands of innocents by ruthless, authoritarian regimes. It’s a way to honor the victims’ memories and a reminder to oppose governments (including my country) that endorse these barbaric methods. You would think we humans would learn our lesson instead of repeating the same horrors time and again. Anita
I agree that it is definitely important for us to see the atrocities committed to fellow human beings. It is just insane that the world seems to be regressing. I fear history will repeat itself based on what l am seeing everywhere and it seems to have just come out of nowhere. I hope we can turn this around…and soon too!
To say I am looking forward to visiting it would sound crass but I am certainly going to visit – I think the more we know of those dark times in history the better . . .perhaps someday mankind will learn from their mistakes by paying attention to places like this.
I know what you mean. I agree with you that we need to be reminded of the past so we can learn from the mistakes. I wish l could feel optimistic, but it doesn’t feel like it’s happening. I see a bleak future with the exact same things happening which is both maddening and shameful. I was just reading about the poor lady like 89 or 92 in Italy who survived Auschwitz and now needs to be protected round the clock because she is receiving so many death threats for suggesting that all people should be treated with respect. Yikes! 🙁