Mathias Rex Statue – Cluj-Napoca
History
The Mathias Rex Statue is one of Cluj-Napoca’s most iconic monuments, standing in Piața Unirii in front of the Gothic-style St. Michael’s Church. Unveiled in 1902, it honors King Matthias Corvinus (Hunyadi Mátyás), the 15th-century Renaissance monarch known for his enlightened rule. The monument’s location is symbolic—just streets away from the house where Matthias was born.
It was designed by Hungarian sculptor János Fadrusz. His full-scale plaster model won the Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris World Expo, adding international prestige to the project. Publicly funded during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the statue was both a national and civic tribute to Hungarian identity in Transylvania.
The monument was inaugurated on October 12, 1902, in a grand ceremony. More than just a statue, it became a cultural and political statement: a celebration of one of Hungary’s greatest rulers in the city where he was born.Style
The bronze ensemble features King Matthias on horseback, armored and noble, surrounded by four generals: Pál Kinizsi, Balázs Magyar, István Báthory, and István Szapolyai. The figures rest on a massive stone pedestal bearing the Latin inscription Mathias Rex. The composition is symmetrical, grand, and detailed—representative of late 19th-century monumental realism.
Despite its imperial scale, the monument feels personal: a local boy turned king, returned in statue form to his birthplace.Famous residents
Notable Figures
Aside from the sculptor János Fadrusz, whose fame grew significantly after this work, the monument has drawn attention from major historical figures. Emperor Franz Joseph visited Cluj in 1887 and, impressed by Matthias’s legacy, helped fund the commemorative plaque placed on the king’s birth house. The generals depicted—Kinizsi, Báthory, Magyar, Szapolyai—were all essential military leaders of their time and chosen carefully to reflect Matthias’s reign.
Renovation
The monument underwent several conservation efforts, the most recent significant restoration occurring between 2008 and 2010. This was a Romanian–Hungarian joint project funded by both governments and supported by EU cultural grants. The cleaning, stabilization, and structural repairs helped restore the statue’s original patina and corrected previous restoration errors. Today, the statue shines again with its former dignity.Present day
Today, the statue serves as a meeting point for events, commemorations, and protests. It remains one of Cluj’s most photographed and recognized landmarks. Nearby, Mátyás király szülőháza—the King’s Birth House—still stands, one of the few preserved royal birthplaces in Europe. Though there’s still no museum inside, the building complements the statue’s symbolic presence in the city center.
Together, these two landmarks anchor the memory of Matthias Corvinus within the lived urban landscape of Cluj-Napoca.