The sculpture was created using authentic shoe designs from the 1940s to ensure historical accuracy.
The monument is not anchored to a pedestal, allowing visitors to walk directly among the individual sculptures.
The location was chosen specifically because it was a known execution site for the Arrow Cross Party.
The shoes are made of cast iron and are permanently bolted into the stone bank of the Danube.
Many visitors leave small stones, flowers, or candles inside the shoes as a gesture of remembrance, following Jewish tradition.
Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial consisting of sixty pairs of iron period-style footwear cast in metal and fixed to the riverbank. The sculpture commemorates the victims of the Arrow Cross militiamen, who ordered Jewish civilians to remove their shoes before shooting them into the Danube during World War II. Designed by film director Can Togay and sculptor Gyula Pauer, it was installed in 2005. The shoes are arranged in the exact style of the period, including high heels, work boots, and children's shoes. It stands as a public monument on the Pest side of the river. The memorial spans approximately 40 meters along the quay. It serves as a reminder of the atrocities committed in Budapest between 1944 and 1945.
A low-angle shot from the river level looking toward the Parliament building captures the scale and emotional weight of the shoes.
Visit during sunset or blue hour to see the memorial illuminated by the city lights across the river.
Combine this visit with a walk along the Danube promenade for the best views of the Buda Castle and Parliament.
Maintain a quiet and respectful volume, as this is a site of deep historical tragedy and active mourning.
Do not treat the memorial as a playground for children or a casual backdrop for selfies; it is a grave site and a place of mourning.
Maintain a respectful, quiet demeanor; do not climb on or touch the sculpture pieces.
