Bélai Iván [et al.]: Köztéri alkotások

VI. Utószó

the following inscription: QUE SURSUM SUNT QUAERITE / Search for chose from above! On the Danube-side frontage we can see four relieves: two figures and two scenes. Each were made in rhe workshop of Marco Casagrande. a Two angels, on each sides of the tympanum above the gate. The one on the right carries a palm-branch, the other carries a band wich the inscription: LAUS DEO which is Glory to God! b The relief on the left shows the scene when king Saint Stephen offers the crown to the Blessed Virgin, c The relief on the right represents the scene when it was offered ro king Saint Ladislaus to lead the crusaders. The side towers are connected to the nave by two corridors; on the frontages of these corridors we can see two relieves of Johann Meixner: d On the right we can see the laying and the consacration of the foundation-stone. The inscription carries the date: 23. APR. 1822. The cwo figures kneeling before the foundation-stone are cardinal Sándor Rudnay and József, palatine (similar to the chancellor in medieval England) of Hungary. On the left there is the scene of the consacration of the Basilica, with the date: 31. AUG. 1856. Cardinal Scitovszky smears the wall with chrisma, and king Franz Joseph sands under the baldachin, surrounded by nobles. In the colonnade, above the main entrance we find another relief by Johann Meixner: rhe meeting of Jesus and Zakeus. All the giant limestone statues and relieves are in connection with the constructional works of both the formal and the present Basilica. On the left we find the statue of archbishop Denis Széchy who crowned three of the Hungarian kings. He played an important role in the reconstruction of the cathedral in gothic style. The inscription says: DIONYSIUM CARD, DE SZÉCH PRIMATE,

VI HUNGARIAE POSUIT JOANNES CARD. SIMOR. A. MDCCCLXXVII. The starue of Denis Széchy was put up by Card. John Simor in 1877. The statue is a work of the Viennese sculptor, Johann Hutterer (1835-1907). His name is indicated on the lower rim on the right. Just opposite this statue we can see another one: the monumental statue of János Hunyadi. Without the considerable financial support from the Hunyadi family, Card. Széchy could not have afforded the reconstructional works of the cathedral. The inscription of the statue: JOANNEM DE HUNYAD GUBERNATOREM HUNGARIAE POSUIT JOANNES CARD. SIMOR A. MDCCCLXXVI. The statue of János Hunyadi, governor of Hungary was erected by card. János Simor in 1876. This is also the work of Hutterer - as indicated on the lower rim of the statue. On both sides of 140 the main entrance we find some whole-figure limestone statues of less