A bust of Sándor Petőfi in Prešov commemorates the visit of a prominent Hungarian poet who stayed in the town in 1845. It is situated at 80A Main Street, at the historic house associated with his stay. The memorial was officially unveiled on 23 April 2024 to mark the 200th anniversary of Petőfi’s birth.
Sándor Petőfi, whose real name was Alexander Petrovich, is one of the most significant poets of 19th-century Hungarian literature. He became famous not only for his poetry, but also for his participation in the revolutionary movement of 1848–1849. His life and work are closely linked to the period of national revival and the formation of modern Hungarian identity.
Petőfi’s visit to Prešov
Petőfi visited Prešov in 1845, at the invitation of the poets Frigyes Kerény and Mihály Tompa, who were living in the town at the time. During his stay, he explored Prešov and its surroundings. He was captivated by the local countryside, the forests, the hiking trails and the mineral-water spas at Cemjata that existed at the time.
The poet’s stay in Prešov was not merely a brief stopover. The city and its surroundings became a source of inspiration for his literary work. During his visit, he and Kerény and Tompo also devoted themselves to poetry and jointly organised a competition for the finest lyric poem, the theme of which was to be a small cottage on Wilecová Hill.
Bust on Hlavná Street
Current a bust of Sándor Petőfi It was created by an academic sculptor Márton Borbás. The poet is depicted in a peaceful pose, with his eyes closed and a goose quill in his hands, a reference to his literary work.
The bust stands on a light-coloured limestone plinth 150 centimetres high. The text commemorating Petőfi’s visit to Prešov is inscribed on in Slovak, English and Hungarian.
Places of interest associated with Petőfi
The bust on Hlavná Street is not the only monument in Prešov commemorating the poet’s visit. On Wilec Hôrke There is a stone memorial on the site where the so-called ‘Forest Cottage’ once stood. Around 150 steps lead up to the memorial, which was restored by the town in 2021.
Petőfi’s story can thus be explored at several locations in Prešov. A visit to the bust in the town centre can be combined with a walk to the memorial on Wilec Hill and, at the same time, with a tour of Prešov’s historic centre.
Source: OOCR RŠ
Source of photographs: OOCR RŠ
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Bust of Sándor Petőfi It stands at 80A Hlavná Street, next to the house where the poet stayed during his visit to Prešov in 1845. Thanks to its location right in the historic centre, it is easily accessible whilst strolling through the town.
Petőfi’s story in Prešov could be extended to include a trip to Wilec the Bitter One, where there is a stone memorial marking the site of the former Forest Cottage. There are approximately 150 steps leading up to the memorial.
An interesting detail of the bust is the way it is depicted – Petőfi is shown with with his eyes closed and a goose quill in his hands, as if he were continuing to create even whilst resting. The work was created by the academic sculptor Márton Borbás.
The bust was unveiled in 2024, to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sándor Petőfi. The text on the plinth is available in three languages, so the site is accessible to foreign visitors as well.
