Matthias Fountain

Matthias Fountain, located in the western courtyard of Buda Castle in Budapest, is one of the most iconic and photographed monuments in the Hungarian capital. This neo-Baroque masterpiece was created by sculptor Alajos Stróbl and architect Alajos Hauszmann at the beginning of the 20th century. The fountain depicts a hunting scene with King Matthias Corvinus as the central figure, portrayed with a crossbow in hand, standing on a rock next to a slain deer. At his feet are three large hunting dogs, Hungarian vizslas, and two hunting assistants: his gamekeeper and shield bearer, both with hunting horns. To the left, sitting calmly, is Galeotto Marzio, the Italian court historian of King Matthias, holding a falcon on his wrist. Galeotto Marzio was the first to record the story of the Beautiful Ilonka (Szép Ilonka), a tale later immortalized in a famous poem by Mihály Vörösmarty. The fountain is rich in symbolism and history. According to legend, King Matthias, often disguised, went hunting to see how things really were in his kingdom. During one of these hunting trips, he met a beautiful peasant girl named Ilonka and fell in love with her. However, when Ilonka discovered that Matthias was the King of Hungary, she realized that their love could not be consummated and died of a broken heart. This romantic and tragic story is depicted in the fountain with Ilonka caressing a young deer, watching the hunters with admiration. The construction of the fountain began in 1904 and was completed in 1905. It was designed to adorn the wall of the central wing of Buda Castle, the residence of the Habsburg kings in Hungary. The fountain reflects the aristocratic taste of the time and also represents a veiled desire for independence among Hungarian nobles within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Despite damage during World War II, the fountain survived with only minor damage, the most significant of which was the destruction of one of the hunting dogs, which was later restored. A more recent restoration, completed in 2010, returned the fountain to its former glory, once again making it one of the jewels of Buda Castle. The fountain, with its scenic layout and elaborate style, somehow resembles the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome. It is said that whoever throws a coin into the fountain will definitely return to Budapest, a myth that adds a touch of magic to this already fascinating monument.