The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial that sits on the bank of the Danube River on the Pest side of Budapest. The 60 shoes commemorate the thousands of lives lost at the hands of the Arrow Cross Party in 1944 and 1945. The Arrow Cross Party would line up their victims along the bank of the Danube River and then shoot them so the bodies would fall into the river. Before being executed, the victims were asked to remove their shoes as shoes were a valuable commodity during World War II.
Visiting the Shoes on the Danube Bank
The Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial is located south of the Hungarian Parliament building and can be accessed via walking or public transportation. I decided to add this memorial to my must-see list after viewing the pictures my parents took on their 2023 trip to Budapest. While I am glad I took the time to visit this memorial, I was saddened to see its state and the amount of disrespect shown by visitors. There was trash strewn about the area and some parts of the memorial were rather dirty. As for the visitors, they were striking poses alongside the memorial when taking pictures.
When I visited the memorial, I took bus route 16 to a stop near the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. From there, I walked to the site which took about 10 minutes. The path from the bus stop consisted of sandy, and at times, uneven terrain. For those with mobility issues, it’ll be best to take the path leading from the Parliament Building as that path is paved with cobblestones and more even.
Per one of my guides in Budapest, the yellow ribbons were added in the spring of 2024 as a form of political protest. The ribbons are not part of the memorial.
Leave a Comment