Budapest like all the cities has it’s secrets only the locals know about. Have you heard about the mini statues of Budapest? This post will reveal the secrets of the tiny bronze statues scattered across Budapest. Enjoy the little things and see Budapest like never before.

Once upon a time there was a Hungarian sculptor, Mihály Kolodko (Mihail Kolodko), who was born in Transcarpathia (Uzhgorod) but moved to Budapest a few years ago. He had many ideas, but preparing a huge bronze statue costs a lot so he decided to surprise his new hometown and the city dwellers with really creative mini bronze statues. Now he truly believes that “small things matter” and locals love to find his new statues, like a treasure hunt. Honestly I love his work and enthusiasm to create something different. The way he and his statues connect people are amazing. Let’s start the hunt, don’t miss to find all of his miniature statues in Budapest!

Did you know that in Budapest a really cute 15 cm high tiny worm watching the sunset and sunrise every day in front of the Parliament building? This tiny worm is the main character of a Hungarian tale, the “Nagy ho-ho-ho-horgász”, “The Big Ho-Ho Angler”, a tale about a Fisherman and his best friend, the worm. They had many funny adventures together during the years. It was one of the favourite tales of a generation in the 1990’. Locals’ love the first miniature statue of Kolodko. During winter this tiny bronze worm get cap and scarf not to catch a cold. Cute isn’t it?

Did you know that the worldfamous Rubik’s cube is a Hungarian invention? It was invented by Ernő Rubik in 1974. Rubik’s magic cube is well known everywhere around the world and you know: there is always a solution!

Why do we have a tiny bronze tank on the river bank? Well it’s a symbol of the WWII when all of the Budapest bridges were bombed and we had permanent replacing bridges for a while like the Kossuth or Manci bridges. 

The rabbit with the checkered ears “Kockásfülű nyúl” is a cute Hungarian tale of the 1990’. The main character, the rabbit observed the kids with it’s telescope, and if they were in trouble, the bunny flew there and solved the problem. One of my favourite tales too. 

“Mekk Elek az ezermester” is a Hungarian tale about a goat handymen who was a bit silly but who could fix everything on a fun way. One of Kolodko’s favourite tales from the 1990’.

Lisa Simpson from the Simpsons family is a quiet new mini statue of Budapest, but somebody has alreday tried to steal it. Easy to pass by, but once you recognise, you never forget.

Nobody knows the real story behind but you can find this tragic mini statue around the statue of Columbo (Peter Falk) and his dog. One thing you can be sure about, the famous detectictive has to find out one more mistery.

Kermit the frog one of the main characters of the Muppet Show is sitting in front of the former Headquarter of the Hungarian Television facing to the US Embassy, since the Muppet Show was an English-American series. What should an everyday frog do if the Muppet Show has ended? For sure it goes back to the nature to the park like a frog. What a deep idea behind! I like it, what about you?

Why does Budapest have a miniature Lunar Rover in Moon street (Hold utca)? Well, the first moon buggy was invented by an amazing and talented Hungarian born engineer, Ferenc Pavlics who escaped to the US after the 1956 Revolution and worked for NASA. He created the first time a special lightweight but whippy wheels of the moon buggy to function on the lunar surface. His invention was succesfully used in 1971 during the Apollo 15 mission of the US. 

The tiny balloon dog statue of Budapest is a really interesting mini statue of Kolodko symbolises the art of Jeff Koons, who created huge balloon animals from stainless steel and became one of the most famous (and expensive) modern artists nowadays. His first wife was a Hungarian lady, have a look at the bones in front of the dog, you’ll see something surreal!

Tivadar Herzl or Theodor Herzl was a Jewish Austro-Hungarian journalist, political activist and writer who is also called as the “spritual father of the Jewish State”. Herzl was born in Budapest, but to find out where, you have to find his mini statue!

Once upon a time there was a pianist who was asked to write a lyrics. I am sure he would never guess but he created a song that inspired many people for suicide. Rezső Seress’ song the “Gloomy Sunday” traveled everywhere around the world and was translated to more than 100 languages.

This brand new mini statue of Budapest has a really cute urban legend behind. When the New York Café opned in 1894 one of the famous Hungarian writers told: “Now I will throw the key of the café to the river Danube so the New York Café will be never closed”. That’s why we see the key in the diver’s hand. So funny 🙂 

This not so small bronze car symbolise the work of the Hungarian novelists Jenő Rejtő (P. Howard). One of his books is called as “The fourteen-carat car” and the mini statue is located really close to his birthplace.

This bronze ministatue is what it seems, Noah’s Ark. Don’t miss to see the rainbow inside, which was a sign for the end of the flood. Really creative installation! If you see it after sunset, use the light of your phone to admire the rainbow inside.

Many times I ask my guests during my walking tours what do they think what is the story behind this tiny bronze urinal on a really beautiful part of Budapest and they have no idea. I can understand, it’s not obvious. This statue is the symbol of Marcel Duchamp’s work who believed that any common thing can be art. Once he sent a urinal for a big international exhibition, you can imagine the people’s reaction. I think that this urinal can be a symbol of the public toilet situation in the City Park too.