Heroes' Square, Budapest

Budapest, Hungary

This was our first trip to Hungary when it was still under the communist rule. We just took a day trip from Vienna. Photo above is at the massive Heroes' Square one of the capital's main attractions.

Built in 1896 to celebrate the millennium of the Hungarian conquest of the Carparthian Basin, Heroes' Square is a vast and grandiose symbol of 19th-century Hungarian nationalism.

An imposing 36-metre high column which supports the winged figure of the Archangel Gabriel (György Zala 1896) is encircled on its pedestal by statues of the seven conquering Magyar tribal chiefs on horseback. Behind, are two semi-circular colonnades housing the statues of the most famous rulers in Hungarian history.

The stone tablet in front of the main column, which on ceremonial occasions is guarded by soldiers, commemorates those who died for national freedom and independence. The square is flanked on either side by the Szépmüvészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) and the Múcsarnok (Palace of Art).

Salamanca, Spain

Plaza Mayor, Salamanca

A city full of labyrinthine streets located on the right bank of the Tormes River, Salamanca is a little over three hours northwest of Madrid. With three separate universities, it seems like most of the 180,000 residents are either students or professors

Salamanca's Plaza Mayor,shown above, one of the most beautiful plazas in Spain, was constructed during the reign of Felipe V. It is the central meeting point in the city and is always buzzing with activity.

A perfect square with multiple exits on each side, the Plaza Mayor leads you in all directions of the city. Beginning around 8pm, the area around the Plaza starts to buzz with activity as people take a stroll, return from class, or buy groceries for their dinner. By midnight the bars and clubs begin to fill and Salamanca comes alive. With unique clubs such as Camelot, which is located in an old church, and everything from typical college bars to upscale clubs, you could go to a different place every night without ever visiting the same place twice!