The full-length monument to the Hungarian poet and revolutionary Sandor Petofi pictures him in civilian clothes with a sword.
History:
In the middle of the square a fragile figure is standing on a low platform. Nothing but green lawn separates it from the people walking along the streets. Everyone can come close to it and make a picture. It is a sculpture of Sandor Petofi a Hungarian patriot of Slavic origin. He was one of the leaders of Hungarian revolution of 1848-49. For the people from Transcarpathia this poet was particularly close, as his traveling throughout this region influenced his work and certainly his mindset. Moreover, the struggle for democratic rights and freedoms, headed by Sandor Petofi was close to the Hungarians, who lived then and live today in Transcarpathia.
Achievements of the Hungarian Revolution and the importance of Sandor Petofi participation in it can’t be overstated. However, despite the significant progress achieved by revolutionary army in the struggle for the independence of Hungary, revolution was crushed by Russian troops, who arrived at the request of the Austrian court. In that losing fight the famous poet died.
Hungarians couldn’t accept the death of their national poet for a long time. Even ten years after the events of the Hungarian revolution people kept telling a story that Petofi was seen alive.
The bronze figure of the poet stands today in one of Uzhgorod squares, looking at us with his young but stern eyes as if telling:
The great world is the school of life, I trow,
Wherethrough I plodded with perspiring brow;
Because my road was passing hard and rough:
And, from the start, I traversed wastes enough.
Legends:
People tell that if you put your hand on the hilt of the sword, your dream will come true. After all Sandor Petofi’s dream came true too. Hungarian nation became free.