The National Heritage Institute (NÖRI) will hold a walk at the Fiumei Road Cemetery National Memorial on 15 March from 2 p.m. with the title "Memory of 1848-49". The Fiumei Road Cemetery, opened in 1849 as the public cemetery of Pest, is the only cemetery that is a national monument in its entirety, an open-air history book of modern Hungary, where visitors can see, among other things, the imprint of the revolution and war of independence of 1848-49. On the day of the holiday, the largest tomb structures in the cemetery can also be visited freely so anyone can look into the Batthyány, Deák and Kossuth Mausoleums - reads the NÖRI press release sent to Pestbuda.

There will be themed walks where visitors can get to know the most famous and forgotten figures of 1848-49 (Photo: National Heritage Institute)

The walk traces the best-known figures of 1848-49 and the undeservedly forgotten personas. Near the graves of Lajos Batthyány, Lajos Kossuth and Artúr Görgei, the soldiers of the war of independence who killed each other found their final resting place. The walk is about Hungarians and Germans, men and women, personalities who besieged Buda Castle or defended it, fell on the battlefield or fled from starvation to commit suicide, and are considered heroes or traitors by the current authorities.

The decorative grave of the Görgei Family (Photo: National Heritage Institute)

According to the information, the participants can, among other things, get to know the story of Károlyné Maderspach, born Franciska Buchwald, who is one of the personifications of female dignity. According to the accusation, Károlyné Maderspach burned a straw mannequin dressed in an Austrian uniform at a ceremony. On 23 August 1849, by order of Haynau, she was dragged from her home, but she was not killed. The walk reveals what happened to her after that. The participants can also find out how the widows of the Arad martyrs preserved the memory of their husbands, as well as who the fourteenth and fifteenth martyrs were and why their memorial plaque was placed in the cemetery.

The Batthyány Mausoleum can also be visited on 15 March (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)

The ceiling of the Deák Mausoleum (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)

"It is never a question for us to join our nation's great holidays in some form. This was particularly the case on this year's 15 March holiday, not only because the events of the 1848-49 revolution and war of independence can be well presented through the lives of the personalities who rest here, but also because of the 175th anniversary of the revolution and war of independence, this day received special attention this year. At the National Heritage Institute, we consider it important to preserve and introduce the people who were present at our fate-changing events, whether they had a greater or lesser role," emphasised Gábor Móczár, Director General of the National Heritage Institute, in connection with the walk announced for 15 March.

Participation in the thematic walk held by NÖRI's historian guide starting at 2 p.m. is free, but registration is required. People can register on the website of the Fiumei Road Cemetery, under the Graveyard Walks (Sírkerti séták) menu item.

Source: National Heritage Institute

Cover photo: The Kossuth Mausoleum in the Fiumei Road Cemetery (Photo: Balázs Both/pestbuda.hu)