Franz Joseph Mini-Statue

If you cross Budapest’s Liberty Bridge on the north side, you might be able to catch Franz Joseph resting in a hammock, locked to the railing.

Franz Joseph Mini-Statue
Liberty Bridge – Budapest
GPS: 47.486265, 19.055723

Wouldn’t it be nice to just put up a hammock on a bridge going over the Danube River?
I mean, not only would you have the best views of the city, you would also get a great breeze.

In 2021, tiny hidden statue creator Mihály Kolodko did just this for the former King of Hungary.

Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I can be found padlocked into place on the north side of the Liberty Bridge. In fact, this bridge used to go by the name Franz Joseph.

But there is also a story behind the hammock. A few years ago, the bridge was closed to traffic. Industrious and pleasure seeking locals rushed to put hammocks up between the cables.

The hammock squatters are gone now. Though it is no longer the Franz Joseph bridge, the padlocks keep multiplying. And it doesn’t look like Franz is going anywhere anytime soon.

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