Matthias Corvinus

Once you lay eyes on the sublime statue of Matthias Corvinus, you will know you are in Cluj Napoca. The 12-meter structure beckons in front of St. Michael’s Chuch as the longtime symbol of the city, posing for curious travelers looking for a postcard picture. It opened in 1902 and soon gained a place among the Historic Monuments of Romania. Depicting Matthias I, who was the mighty king of Hungary and Croatia between 1458 and 1490, the statue is among the famed monuments in the country.

The statue is an aesthetic eye candy with its perfect symmetry and structure. At the center, King Matthias appears on horseback, casting a rigid gaze towards the horizon. Surrounding him are four warriors at a lower level, hailing the king with flags in their hands. The color schema of the statue lends it a stark appearance and one of its most aesthetically-pleasing features. All the statues are sheer black and made of bronze. A bridge-like white stone structure stands behind the figures of the generals, at the center of which King Matthias stands on a cylindrical stone pedestal. The contrasting colors make it all the more photogenic. Visitors to Union Square flock to see the statue to get a taste of the country’s overwhelming history.