Matthias Fountain
Mátyás Corvinus, known as The Renaissance King, ruled Hungary and Croatia from 1458, at the age of 14 until his death in 1490. He established education institutions, patronized art and science, and introduced a new legal system. With his patronage Hungary became the first European country which adopted the Renaissance from Italy.
Matthias Fountain was designed in 1904, and built against the wall of the central wing of the Buda Castle. It shows a royal hunting scene with the bronze figure of King Matthias at the top holding a crossbow in his hand, standing near a beautiful dead deer. At his feet there are three large hunting dogs, Hungarian vizsla dogs, his gamekeeper and his shield bearer, both holding the hunting horns.
But it seems there is a secret love story portrayed here. Apparently it was the King’s habit to go hunting incognito, One day whilst out hunting he met a pretty peasant girl called Szep Ilonka. They fell in love at first sight, but when she found out that he was the king of Hungary, she realised that their love could never come complete, and consummated in marriage, so she died from a broken heart. That’s her sitting on the right side of the fountain stroking a young deer.
Matthias Fountain
Mátyás Corvinus, known as The Renaissance King, ruled Hungary and Croatia from 1458, at the age of 14 until his death in 1490. He established education institutions, patronized art and science, and introduced a new legal system. With his patronage Hungary became the first European country which adopted the Renaissance from Italy.
Matthias Fountain was designed in 1904, and built against the wall of the central wing of the Buda Castle. It shows a royal hunting scene with the bronze figure of King Matthias at the top holding a crossbow in his hand, standing near a beautiful dead deer. At his feet there are three large hunting dogs, Hungarian vizsla dogs, his gamekeeper and his shield bearer, both holding the hunting horns.
But it seems there is a secret love story portrayed here. Apparently it was the King’s habit to go hunting incognito, One day whilst out hunting he met a pretty peasant girl called Szep Ilonka. They fell in love at first sight, but when she found out that he was the king of Hungary, she realised that their love could never come complete, and consummated in marriage, so she died from a broken heart. That’s her sitting on the right side of the fountain stroking a young deer.