Wandering Apostles

Once intended to stand at the top of the grandest cathedral in Pécs, the decaying statues of the 12 apostles now take shelter from the rain under an archway.  

Completed in 1855 after nine years of work, the statues were carved from Budafa yellow sandstone by Mihály Bartalits. Each stood at a towering four meters tall and was meant for the cathedral's façade. But the sandstone was of poor quality. Rain would seep into the stone and become trapped inside. In winter, it froze and expanded, cracking the statues bit by bit. Over time, the apostles decayed. 

Bartalits later fashioned items made of tin to be associated with each of the apostles, but these deteriorated even faster than the statues themselves. They were replaced and maintained, but hardly any remain today.

Less than 30 years after their completion, the statues were relocated from the cathedral façade to the courtyard of what is now the Saint Maurus Education Center, then a seminary. 

Over the course of the 20th century, the apostles continued to deteriorate. In 2017, they were eventually moved back near the cathedral, but this time under arcade arches constructed in the 1930s. 

The statues now stand beneath the impressive arches, shielded from the elements. At night, atmospheric lights illuminate the worn apostles, creating a moody, almost haunting scene. During the day, the space in front of the apostles serves as a parking lot for the cathedral. The imposing arches and decaying statues they shelter remain impressive and unique.