St. Gerard Sagredo Statue

"In the early 11th century, Gellért (Gerard in English), a Benedictine Abbot from Venice, was on a pilgrimage to Palestine when he was detained by King Stephen of Hungary. The king asked Gellért to stay in Hungary to tutor his son Imre and assist in converting the Magyars to Christianity. Gellért accepted the king's request and remained in Hungary for many years under royal protection. However, after King Stephen's death in 1038, unrest grew among the pagan insurgents. In 1046, Gellért was captured in Buda by these insurgents who wanted to return to paganism. According to legend, he was placed in a barrel pierced with nails and rolled down the steep hill, leading to his death. The hill, previously called Kelen-hegy, was later renamed Gellért-hegy in honor of the saint. A monument commemorating Gellért's death was erected in 1904 at the site of his martyrdom. The statue, designed by sculptor Gyula Jankovits, stands 12 meters tall (39 feet) and depicts Gellért holding a crucifix triumphantly. At his feet, a wild-looking Magyar gazes up at the bishop in awe. The statue is framed by a neoclassical semicircular colonnade, and a small waterfall flows below the sculpture. For a stunning view of the monument, you can look from the nearby Elizabeth Bridge. If you'd like a closer look, you can climb a set of steps that lead up to the statue. The monument is visible from across Budapest, and it is especially striking at night when it is illuminated."