If you love art and you are looking to discover Budapest hidden gems, they might be closer than you think! They could also be smaller than you expect: I’m talking about the mini statues of Budapest by Mihaly Kolodko.
Please note: there are many more statues than I mention! I’m still discovering them myself. I will update the post as I find them, and help you find them yourself!
Are you planning your trip to Budapest? Check out more efficient itineraries and tips:
– One-day Budapest itinerary
– The best cheap things to do in Budapest
– Essential Budapest travel tips by locals
– Visegrad hike, a Budapest day trip
– Kaan Karoly hike in Budapest
Mihaly Kolodko, the artist of the mini-statues
Artist Mihaly Kolodko (or, more correctly, Mykhailo Kolodko) placed them all over the city, to commemorate important historical moments or people, and to entertain the public. At the moment, locals even compete to find the next mini-statue! We never know when a new one may pop up.
Born in Uzhhorod (Ukraine) in 1978, he graduated in monumental sculptures, but dived into the format of miniature in 2010: he was inspired by the possibility to depict a monumental idea in a small form, faster and more convenient to create.
The small bronze statues are usually as large as a hand, some bigger and some smaller; they hide in plain sight and are often hard to find, even when you know where to look. This is what I love the most about them: I feel like Indiana Jones, exploring my own city in search for unique and meaningful treasures.
Each mini-statue has a meaning or a story behind it: read more below!
Where are the Budapest mini-statues? Here’s the map
Check out my map, together with the descriptions and pictures below, and you should be able to find all the Kolodko mini-statues in Budapest 🙂
Extra tip: mini-statue in Hungarian is “mini-szobor”. Some of them are marked on Google Maps in Hungarian.
Check out also my efficient Budapest itinerary, with detailed map!
The dead squirrel
Where is the Dead Squirrel mini statue by Kolodko: Szent István körút 5, at the corner with Falk Miksa utca, on the floor by the green electricity service boxes (map here) (Halott mókus in Hungarian)
It’s easy to notice the statue of Lieutenant Columbo and his dog on Falk Miksa street, near Margaret Bridge on Pest side. A cigar in his hand, scratching his head, the iconic TV character was played by Peter Falk; even though the connection to politician Miksa Falk is not proved, the origins of the actor are certainly Hungarian.
Well, Columbo is about to embark on his next case: behind him, to the left, there is a dead squirrel, outlined in chalk, gun still clutched in his hand. What happened? Is it a suicide, or a homicide in disguise? Don’t worry, Columbo will solve it for sure.
The 14-Carat Roadster Car
Where is the 14-Carat Roadster Car mini statue by Kolodko: Hevesi Sándor tér 4 on the side of Izabella utca. Stand with your back to the entrance of the Pesti Magyar Színház Theatre: the car is on the right side of the flower bed curb in front of you (map here) (A tizennégy karátos autó in Hungarian) (the other street, left of the theatre, is Rejtő Jenő utca!)
If you like vintage cars, make sure you come and find this Alfa Romeo sports car!
The 14-Carat Roadster is a character of the homonymous novel “A tizennégy karátos autó” by Jenő Rejtő, an Alfa Romeo car made of fourteen-carat gold in two thirds.
The Hungarian author was successful with plays and novels, thanks to a unique sense of humour in the pulp fiction genre. He died in 1943 as a forced labourer in Russia.
This is another homage to the Hungarian Jews and the Jewish neighbourhood, the 7th district, together with the mini-statues of Hanna Szenes and Rezső Seress.
Pianist Rezső Seress
Where is the Pianist mini statue by Kolodko: between Akacfa street 36 and 38, on the wall (map here), right next to restaurant Kispipa.
Let’s start by understanding this unusual sculpture: the pianist and composer Rezső Seress is placed within a small pipe, representing the “Kispipa” bar and restaurant where he used to play.
The composer of the Hungarian suicide song, “Gloomy Sunday”, unfortunately, was never able to collect any royalties on the song, even after it became popular thanks to Billie Holiday.
Paratrooper Hanna Szenes
Where is the Paratrooper mini statue by Kolodko: opposite Rozsa utca 36, at the entrance gate of Szenes Hanna park, at eye-level (map here)
Hanna Szenes, or Anikó Szenes, was a poet, paratrooper, and Jewish war hero.
Born in Hungary in 1921 to an assimilated Jewish family, she emigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine in 1939, when she could not enter university due to Jewish laws.
She joined the British Army as a military parachutist in 1943, horrified by the horrors of World War II. In 1944 she was parachuted to Yugoslavia with the objective of assisting anti-Nazi forces and rescuing Hungarian Jews; as the Germans had already occupied Hungary, the mission was called off.
Nonetheless, Szenes decided to continue and head to Hungary; unfortunately, she was caught at the border, arrested, beaten and transferred to a prison in Budapest. She always refused to give away valuable information about her mission and her colleagues, even when her own mother was captured and used as leverage.
She was tried and executed on November 7th, 1944, at the age of 23.
In 2019, on Women’s Day, the Hungarian organization Hosszúlépés.Járunk? organized some thematic tours to fix one of Budapest’s problems: out of 1200 statues, only 35 depict women as a hero or role model! Cardboard statues were placed across the city to draw attention to these missing female statues.
On March 8th, 2020, Kolokdo released the statue of Hanna Szenes at Szenes Hanna Park, the first heroine mini-statue: I love her focused gaze, looking up to the sky while sitting on a Hungary-shaped white stone. This is definitely one of my favourite Budapest mini statue.
Tivadar Herzl and his bicycle
Where is the Bicycle mini statue by Kolodko: Dohany utca 1, on a metal pole in front of CIB Bank, at chest height (map here)
Tivadar Herzl (1860-1904) is known as the father of the State of Israel: he promoted the immigration of Jews to Palestine in an effort to create a Jewish state, and he formed the Zionist Organization.
The Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist, writer, playwright and political activist was born where the Jewish museum is now located. Consequently, the mini-statue based on a picture of him on a bicycle is placed near the iconic Dohany Street Synagogue.
The diver
Where is the Diver mini statue by Kolodko: Dohany utca 72, at the corner with Osvát utca, on the side of the New York Cafè windows (map here) (Búvár in Hungarian)
What a curious diver! Comfortably sitting on a stone hydrant, he is wearing old-style diving equipment with a copper hat, and he holds a key in his hands.
This is a homage to the nearby New York Cafè, a famous literary café since the opening in 1894; legend has it that its key was thrown in the Danube as a wish of success and never-ending opening hours. Perhaps it was Ferenc Molnar who threw it, the writer of the novel “the Paul Street Boys”!
It looks like this expert diver recovered the key of the New York Café from the depths of the Danube.
The world’s most beautiful café is a landmark in Budapest, thanks to its wonderful frescoes and refined atmosphere. The New York Cafè and the Anantara New York Palace Hotel are perfect to splurge during your holiday.
Noah’s Ark
Where is the Noah’s Ark mini statue by Kolodko: On Bethlen Gábor ter, a small square at the intersection of Istvan street and Bethlen Gábor street. The Ark ministatue is on the Istvan street line, on the left (coming from the centre), on a small stone surrounding the grass, close to the playground (map here).
Kolodko placed his Noah’s Ark in August 2019 in this symbolic place: between the synagogue of Bethlen Gabor square and the main gate of the University of Veterinary on Istvan street.
Emperor Franz Joseph on a hammock
Where is the Franz Joseph on a hammock mini statue by Kolodko: The Kolodko ministatue of Emperor Franz Joseph is located on the north side of Liberty Bridge (the side towards Gellert Hill and the Statue of Liberty), by the first pylon, where the walking path widens to the right (map here). Liberty Bridge is the green metal bridge that crosses the Danube river south of Budapest city centre, connecting Fővám square on Pest side and Gellert square on Buda side.
The newest Kolodko mini statue appeared in May 2021 on Liberty Bridge, to commemorate 125 years since its unveiling in 1896.
The statuette represents Emperor Franz Joseph himself, with his legendary moustache, arms crossed and military shako hat on his knees, sitting on a hammock that hangs from two padlocks. He looks very thoughtful; maybe he’s reflecting on the last rivet of this beautiful bridge, which he hammered down himself (or, more likely, he pushed the button of the hammering machine).
Storytime: when this bridge was inaugurated in 1896, it was named Franz Joseph Bridge, after the Emperor; similarly, the nearby Elizabeth Bridge was named after his wife, Empress Sissi, and they looked very similar. Unfortunately, both bridges were blown up on January 18 of 1945 by Nazi forces during World War II – find here some touching pictures. When the bridges were rebuilt, in 1946 and 1964 respectively, they were modified: Franz Joseph Bridge was rebuilt with the same design and the new name of Liberty Bridge, while Elizabeth Bridge kept the name and received a modern and sleek shape. Emperor and Empress won’t be together in Budapest.
Conclusion
Kolodko’s mini-statues in Budapest add an extra level of uniqueness to the city and are able to take people’s eyes away from their phones. Cute and interesting, they have attracted a lot of interest lately!
Continue planning your perfect trip to Budapest: check out my 1-day Budapest itinerary with all the major landmarks, the cheap things to do in Budapest (including food), the must-know Budapest travel tips by locals, decide the best time to visit Budapest depending on what you want to do, and learn what Hungarian phrases will be useful.
Have you found all of them, or even more? Was any of them dressed up with a winter scarf? Let us know in the comments!
Sources
Budapestflow.com
Traveladdict.hu
köztérkép.hu
Magyarnarancs.hu
