The Relation between Political Identity and Architecture in Wroclaw and Budapest

Nationalism as a form of political identity can be seen through the monuments and architectural elements within a city. Looking specifically at the cities of Wroclaw, Poland, and Budapest, Hungary, one can easily see how their respective monuments portray their nationalistic tendencies that developed in recent history. For Wroclaw, a city that was once German and is now Polish, finding the right balance between acknowledging history while promoting Polish nationalism is seen in the preservation of Centennial Hall. While in Budapest, there was a surge to remove Soviet era statues, relocating them to the edges of town to say that they no longer have power in the city. Learning the history of the city and then, analyzing factors such as location, size, and symbolism, allows for one to reach conclusions and a greater understanding of a city\u27s political identity