Categories
Europe Weird and wonderful

The amusing, creepy or just plain weird: a tour of Bratislava’s statues

Bratislava is a city filled with fountains and statues – some poetic, some quirky, some reverential

Bratislava is filled with interesting and imaginative statues, which present great photo opportunities and an insight into the Slovak sense of humour. The eastern European tradition of public sculpture is particularly obvious along the Danube embankment, but the humorous statues elsewhere in the Old Town are what really mark Bratislava out.

Napoleonic army soldier

Napoleon soldier Hlavne namestie Bratislava Slovakia by dimbar76, Shutterstock
The Napeolonic Soldier stands on Hlavné námestie to recall the siege of 1809 © dimbar76, Shutterstock

Leaning on a bench on Hlavné námestie, posing for photos behind those who sit down for a rest; watch out for photobombing!

Four Peeing Boys

The Roland (Maximilián) Fountain in the centre of Hlavné námestie features four little boys having a wee – two are holding hands. In 1794 shocked Bratislava residents had it removed and replaced by more innocent boys holding fish!

Roland Fountain Four Peeing Boys Bratislava Slovakia by Radler59, Wikimedia Commons
The Roland Fountain is Hlavné námestie’s controversial centrepiece © Radler59, Wikimedia Commons

The peeing boys were hidden away in a courtyard of the Ruttkay-Vrútocký Palace off Uršulínska 6 until the spring of 2019, when the fountain was restored to its original site. 

Čumil

Cumil Bratislava Slovakia by PHB.cz (Richard Semik), Shutter
This statue is a firm favourite for locals and tourists alike © PHB.cz (Richard Semik), Shutterstock

On the corner of Panská and Rybárska brána is a man peering out of a manhole cover ‘looking up skirts’, created by Viktor Hulík. It’s been here since 1997 and is the favourite photo op in town.

Schöne Náci

The statue (by Juraj Meliš) depicts a real person who was famous locally as a dandy. Ignác Lamár (1897–1967) was nicknamed Schöne Náci, meaning ‘Handsome Ignatius’; he appears quite friendly and jolly on the statue, but his fiancée was deported to a Nazi concentration camp in World War II, where she died.

Schone Naci Bratislava Slovakia by © DUOMEDIA
The jolly Schöne Náci statue depicts a real person who had a heartbreaking past © DUOMEDIA

He never recovered psychologically from the trauma and spent his days wandering along the Korzo in a top hat and tails, smiling at everyone. 

Friendship Flower

Friendship Flower Statue Bratislava Slovakia by Fred Romero, Wikimedia Commons
Although the sculpture has been somewhat defaced by graffiti, it is still worth a visit © Fred Romero, Wikimedia Commons

At the centre of Freedom Square, laid out in 1980, is a fountain with this metal sculpture of a linden flower (lipovy kvet) at its centre, a symbol of friendship between the Slav peoples. 

Skateboarder Girls

Skateboarder Girls Statue Bratislava Slovakia by Andrew Babble, Shutterstock
The Skateboarder Girls take a break on a working letter box © Andrew Babble, Shutterstock

This statue sees one girl sitting on a fence, one below on a skateboard looking up. The post box is real and working – you can send your postcards from here. 

The Mocker

A grotesque gargoyle from a late Gothic façade. Horrible dwarf squatting and flashing at the street.

The Mocker stature Bratislava Slovakia by Palickap Wikimedia Commons
This gargoyle can give first-time visitors a fright © Palickap, Wikimedia Commons

Various theories about his significance – some say he is looking towards Vydrica, the former red-light district, and that’s why he is aroused; others insist he represents a very nosy resident of the building who likes to spy on passers-by from a tiny bay window.

Duck Fountain

Three naked little boys teasing ducks, built in 1914 by the sculptor Robert Kúhmayer (who also created the ‘Crutch-Breaker’ statue at Piešťany Spa).

Close Up Duck Fountain Bratislava Slovakia by Lure, Wikimedia Commons
Before they were turned to stone, it is clear to see that the little boys were happily frolicking in the water © Lure, Wikimedia Commons

According to legend, the three boys were playing with ducks when the water sprite Zeleniak appeared and ordered them never to peek under the water at his kingdom. They disobeyed and were turned to stone. 

Hans Christian Andersen

The Danish fairytale teller visited Bratislava in 1841 and the statue depicts a tall, skinny poet looking a bit bashful, with a huge snail gazing up at him in awe of his imagination.

Hans Christian Andersen Statue Bratislava Slovakia by Mikhail Markovskiy, Shutterstock
The literary great, Hans Christian Andersen, is honoured in Hviezdoslavovo námestie, one of the city’s main squares © Mikhail Markovskiy, Shutterstock

The emperor with no clothes and other characters from his stories are depicted on the rear. Created by Tibor Bártfay, whose father designed the soldier on the top of the Slavín Monument. 


More information

Keen to discover more of Bratislava’s bizarre treasures? Check out our guide: