Public Statues of Women

There are very few public statues dedicated to real women. Most female statues serve as decorative elements—muses, fountain figures, or, in the best case, representations of mothers. In several European countries and major cities, campaigns have been launched to ensure that important female figures of history are given a worthy place in the urban landscape. In this selection, we present public statues of women in Hungary, using the Köztérkép (Public Space Map) database to explore the background of these artworks—our thanks for their invaluable resources.

Surprisingly, the oldest female statues in public spaces are religious in nature. Statues of female saints have a tradition going back millennia, with the most widespread representation being that of the Virgin Mary.

Reclining Women in Public Spaces

Some of the most memorable female figures are those casually reclining, standing, or leaning, as if simply enjoying the beauty of their surroundings—offering us the opportunity to admire them in turn.

It seems the city of Pécs features a number of such public sculptures of women. In Hajnóczy Street, for example, a reclining female figure—originally intended as a fountain sculpture—enhances the beauty of the local playground and its surroundings. Designed by Jenő Kerényi, the sculpture was installed in Pécs in 1963. This reclining, leaning posture seems to have been a favored motif of the artist, as many similar figures are attributed to him. Interestingly, a bronze version of this very sculpture was unveiled in Miskolc after the artist’s death.

One typical category of female statues is known as the “sunbather.” These works are not limited to lakeside towns, beaches, or parks. In Pécs's district of Uránváros, in front of the former Olympia restaurant, stands the Sun-Gazer (Napbanéző), by one of Hungary’s most renowned artists, Miklós Borsos. The Olympia restaurant was originally built around the time of the 1960 Rome Olympics, and the sculpture was erected simultaneously as a complementary element. This full-bodied, nude female figure, however, did not enjoy unanimous approval from the public. Many locals found it hard to accept that the sculptor had chosen this depiction to represent the strength and vitality of youth.

Other reclining or leaning women can also be found in Pécs: Leaning Woman (Támaszkodó, 1963) by Anna Kárpáti in the Botanical Garden of the University of Pécs, and another Leaning Woman (1964) by István Bencsik in front of the Fenyves Hotel.

Statues Near Water

662181___Szentendre___Szomjsg_cm_szobor__Kucs_Bla_alkotsa_ismeretlen_idpontban___Dollinger_Erhardt____papr_______________150X100_mm.jpg In the case of ornamental fountains and decorative sculptures, the female figures are often depicted with pleasing physical features and minimal clothing. The identities of the original models, however, are usually lost to history.

The Fountain of the Nereids was the first artistically designed public fountain in Pest,now standing on Ferenciek Square. The two female figures holding water jugs represent nereids, the caretakers of seas, springs, and fountains in Greek mythology—making their appearance on a public fountain logical and appropriate. Though the original sculpture was destroyed in 1944, it was later reconstructed and can still be admired today, perhaps while waiting for the No. 15 bus.

Sometimes a sculpture becomes so popular that multiple cities want to claim it. This happened with Béla Kucs’s work Drinking Girl – Thirst (Ivó lány – Szomjúság). Originally from Ózd, the artist first placed the sculpture beside Highway 11 in Szentendre. A copy was installed in Szolnok in 1972 in front of the Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party headquarters. Other versions have appeared in Nagyatád, Csurgó, and Ózd as well. Whether this widespread presence is due to the popularity of the theme or the artist himself remains uncertain.

Muses and Justitia Statues

The “elite” category of female statues includes muses and representations of Justitia. These are generally architectural ornaments or secondary figures in larger sculptural compositions. One such example is the Széchenyi Memorial in Budapest, which features Minerva, symbolizing science and the arts, and Ceres, representing agriculture. These allegories reflect the fields in which Count Széchenyi’s work contributed to Hungary’s development—alongside Vulcan and Neptune. The memorial was created by sculptor József Engel, who competed with Miklós Izsó for the commission. Surprisingly, the sculpture did not receive universal praise. A contemporary newspaper wrote: “This work reminds us of the early years of Hungarian sculpture and fails to immortalize our great son in a worthy manner, so a future revision may be necessary.” Fortunately, no such revision ever occurred.

We can admire the allegories of classic virtues—Law, Faith, Glory, and Knowledge—on the façade of the building at 18 Kossuth Lajos Street (the building of the Puskin Cinema). These sculptures were created by Antal Szabó. The impressive rental palace of the former University Foundation was completed in 1895 based on plans by architect Győző Czigler.

Today in Hungary, there are nearly a dozen and a half artistic statues of Justitia or architectural depictions of her in public spaces. One notable example in Budapest is on the pedestal of Adolf Huszár’s Deák Memorial.

The Famous Ones

Some prominent women were already recognized in their own time. Pálné Veres and Hermin Beniczky, pioneers in women’s education in Hungary, both have public statues in Budapest. The statue of Pálné Veres was created by György Kiss and originally stood on Erzsébet Square. Today it can be found on the street that bears her name—specifically at the location where she founded the National Women's Training Association, an institution aimed at advancing women’s education in Hungary.

The statue of Queen Elisabeth (Sisi) currently stands at the Buda end of the Elisabeth Bridge. Originally unveiled on September 25, 1932, in Eskü Square, the statue by György Zala was set in a gloriette designed by architect Rezső Hikisch. The structure sparked significant controversy at the time. Some critics felt it did not suit the statue, while others objected to its church-like appearance, saying it distracted from the nearby parish church. After 1945, Sisi—being a member of the Habsburg family—became an undesirable figure. Her statue was removed, though the gloriette remained until 1956. By that time, another statue had been placed inside it—The Fisher Girl (Halászlány) by Alajos Strobl. Thus, one woman replaced another, with the unknown replacing the known.