Hungary’s 23 October national holiday began with a traditional military flag-raising ceremony outside the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest on Friday morning, marking the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence. President András Baka, Prime Minister Péter Magyar and Speaker of the National Assembly Ágnes Forsthoffer attended the solemn event on Kossuth Lajos Square.
The Hungarian national flag was raised to the sound of the national anthem by an honour guard of the Hungarian Defence Forces, continuing a longstanding tradition that marks the beginning of the country’s official 23 October commemorations.
The ceremony featured the Central Military Band, the National Ceremonial Cavalry Unit, the 32nd Guard Regiment of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ Budapest Garrison Brigade and the Count Ferenc Nádasdy Hussar Squadron.
Representatives of the government, state institutions, military organisations and the diplomatic corps were present, alongside invited guests. Members of the public also gathered on Kossuth Square to watch the ceremony.
Hungary’s 23 October national holiday: Why is the flag raised every year?
The flag-raising ceremony outside Parliament is one of the central traditions of Hungary’s national commemorations.
Held annually on 23 October, the event symbolically honours those who participated in the 1956 uprising against Soviet domination and Communist dictatorship.
Kossuth Lajos Square has particular historical significance. On 23 October 1956, enormous crowds gathered outside Parliament, where reformist politician Imre Nagy addressed demonstrators demanding political change.
According to the Hungarian government’s historical overview of the national holiday, official commemorations traditionally continue after the flag-raising ceremony at several locations associated with the revolution.
These include the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Bem József Square and other sites where decisive events unfolded in 1956.
For visitors to Budapest, the annual ceremony offers an opportunity to witness one of Hungary’s most important state traditions in the historic centre of the capital.
What happened during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956?
The revolution began on 23 October 1956 with peaceful demonstrations led by university students in Budapest.
Protesters demanded political reforms, greater national independence, freedom of expression and the withdrawal of Soviet troops stationed in Hungary.
The demonstrations rapidly developed into an armed uprising against the Communist dictatorship associated with Mátyás Rákosi and Soviet control.
One of the most recognisable symbols of the revolution was the Hungarian flag with a hole in its centre. Protesters removed the Communist-era emblem from the national tricolour, creating an enduring symbol of resistance.
Although the uprising initially achieved important political changes, Soviet forces launched a large-scale military intervention on 4 November 1956.
The revolution was eventually crushed, followed by imprisonment, executions and widespread political reprisals. Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians fled the country.
The events nevertheless became a defining chapter in Hungary’s modern history and its struggle for national sovereignty.
More than a flag-raising ceremony: How Hungary commemorates 23 October
While the morning flag-raising is one of the most recognisable official events, Hungary’s 23 October national holiday is traditionally marked by commemorations throughout the country.
Every year, wreath-laying ceremonies, memorial speeches, exhibitions and cultural programmes remember the participants and victims of the revolution.
In Budapest, important memorial locations include Bem József Square, the Hungarian Radio building, Corvin Passage and the 1956 memorial sites near the Parliament. As we wrote earlier, PM Magyar said in 1956, demonstrators became free Hungarian citizens.
This year’s 70th-anniversary programme also includes exhibitions, performances and commemorative activities near Parliament, including events around Vértanúk Square and Alkotmány Street.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar is also scheduled to address the public on Kossuth Lajos Square later on Friday. Details: Hungary to build a dedicated 1956 revolution museum, Magyar announces
The commemorations began before the national holiday itself, with memorial events and a torchlight procession taking place in Budapest on Thursday.
Why is 23 October a public holiday in Hungary?
The date has two major historical meanings for Hungary.
Beyond marking the outbreak of the 1956 Revolution, it also commemorates the proclamation of the Hungarian Republic on 23 October 1989, during the country’s transition from Communist rule to democracy.
Parliament declared 23 October a national holiday in 1990. Its status was subsequently reaffirmed in legislation adopted in 1991 and in Hungary’s Fundamental Law.
Today, 23 October is a public holiday, meaning that many businesses, schools and public offices are closed.
Seventy years after the uprising, the annual flag-raising ceremony remains a powerful reminder of the events that shaped modern Hungary. Alongside the official ceremonies, the anniversary provides an opportunity for new generations and international visitors to learn about the country’s struggle for freedom and independence.