Columbo Statue and Dead Squirrel with Gun

A statue of Lieutenant Columbo stands on the corner of Miksa Falk Street in Budapest. But what’s up with the dead squirrel with a gun?

Columbo Statue & Dead Squirrel with Gun
Miksa Falk Street
GPS: 47.512615, 19.048935

In 2014, the statue of Lieutenant Columbo and his dog from the famous television show “Columbo” was unveiled. At an estimated cost of $63,000, the bronze lieutenant was part of an overall rejuvenation project in the area, although exactly why the figure was chosen is a bit of a mystery.

According to organizers, actor Peter Falk is known to have had Hungarian roots on one side of his family and may have been related to the 19th-century Hungarian political figure, Miksa Falk, after whom the street is named. Although they also admit that there are not really sure if this is a fact or not.

At the foot of the metal lieutenant’s feet is a bronze basset hound modeled after a local dog named Franzi, who even showed up for the unveiling. This is of course supposed to be Columbo’s droopy-faced pet, “Dog.”

Just behind Columbo, and often missed by many tourists, is a tiny sculpture of a dead squirrel with a gun. This mini-sculpture is part of the Budapest Hidden Tiny Sculpture series and it was not part of the original Columbo installation, but artist Mihály Kolodko created something that fits perfectly with the scene.. and gives a purpose to the confused head-scratching on the Columbo statue. But now there is a mystery to solve. Who killed the squirrel?

I did try to interview many locals at the scene of the crime, and though they all have knowledge of this statue, no-one was willing to go on record to suggest who was responsible for this heinous squirrel-cide. Which means this case goes deeper and is much more sinister we could ever have imagined.

Stop by and say hello to Columbo on Miksa Falk Street and stay to solve the mystery yourself, if you think you’re so smart.

Columbo Theme

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