The Castle District has some interesting sculptures, which show pictures of the Hungarian History and Fine Arts.
Turul Bird
The visitor arriving from Pest side finds a great bird next to the upper station of funicular railway. That bird is the turul, formerly the sacred bird of the Ancient Magyars, was honoured as the ancestor of the Hungarian people. Its depiction played an important role in the series of festivities in 1896 to mark the thousandth anniversary of the Conquest when this bird was portrayed on numerous monuments. (The largest is in Tatabanya) This turul sculpture erected nears the Royal Palace and reminiscent of the Millennium, was intended to emphasise the national character.
Andras Hadik
In Uri street, at the junction near of the Matthias church stands a memorial to Count Andras Hadik (1710-1790), a former commander of Buda Castle. This fine equestrian statue was unveiled in 1937. At the same time the work is a memorial to the 3rd Arad Imperial and Royal Hussars, founded in 1702, erected by former members of the regiment to honour their one-time commander and unknown Hadik hussars who had fallen. In the pedestal is placed a glass case containing the names of the heroic dead of the regiment, which existed up to 1918. According to the legend of students this sculpture brings a good luck when you stroke its certain part at the night before the final exam. If you would like to know where, find out where the brightest it is.
St George
The small-size bronze equestrian statue erected at the bottom of the Fishermen's Bastion in 1904 is a copy. Its original was created by the Kolozsvari brothers on the commission of King Louis the Great, and at present can be found in the square next to the St Vitus Cathedral in Prague's Hradcany. Unfortunately the works of Kolozsvari brothers were lost during the Turkish area, only this piece has survived. The original creation is an outstanding example of medieval Hungarian sculpture. Like bells, it was made in one piece, using a melting wax procedure. Judging from its size, it can be assumed that originally it was not intended to be exhibited in the open air but in an alcove inside a building. According to a 17th century report, St George held a shield in his left hand, but this is no longer on the sculpture in Prague.
In the next article I will show you another three interesting sculptures.
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