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Planning a visit to Budapest’s famous Széchenyi Bath? There’s now another reason to explore the park around it: a new Kolodko mini statue has appeared nearby, honouring the engineer behind its thermal waters.
Budapest has gained another tiny work of art to look out for. The latest Kolodko mini statue has appeared in Városliget, near the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, and this time its subject is not a cartoon character, historical curiosity or pop-culture icon, but a man whose work helped shape Budapest's famous bathing culture.
The miniature bronze figure depicts Vilmos Zsigmondy, the 19th-century mining engineer who became one of the pioneers of artesian well drilling in Hungary. His work is particularly closely connected to the City Park (Városliget): Zsigmondy was responsible for the drilling of the well that brought hot thermal water to the surface here, laying the foundations for the development of what would eventually become the Széchenyi Bath.
The new statue was unveiled on September 14, 2026, as part of events connected to the 53rd World Groundwater Congress, which is being held in Budapest. The International Association of Hydrogeologists' congress brings specialists together to discuss issues including groundwater resources, climate change, geothermal energy and the protection of underground water.
The artist shared a few moments of the making of the tiny sculpture on his official Facebook page
The location of the little statue is particularly fitting. It stands in the park close to the Széchenyi Bath's main entrance, in an area already closely associated with Zsigmondy's legacy. A larger monument to the engineer can be found nearby, on the other side of the road, along the Kós Károly sétány. The monument was originally erected at the predecessor of today's bath before later being moved to its present location.
Zsigmondy's achievement was a major milestone in Budapest's thermal-water history. His successful drilling work in Városliget produced a deep artesian well whose water helped make the development of the city's great thermal-bath complex possible. Today, the connection is still very much alive: the Széchenyi Bath continues to be supplied by thermal water, and the bath itself offers visitors programmes exploring the history of its water and Zsigmondy's well.
The new Kolodko sculpture adds a playful, miniature counterpart to the more traditional monument nearby. As with many of Kolodko Mihály's Budapest works, it gives passers-by another reason to slow down and look closely at their surroundings. The statue also features a QR code, intended to provide additional information about groundwater and Zsigmondy's legacy.
For visitors exploring Városliget, the new sculpture makes an easy addition to a walk around the park. It is just a short distance from the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, one of Budapest's best-known attractions, and offers a small but meaningful piece of the story behind the thermal waters that have made the Hungarian capital famous around the world.
For every current and past mini statue in Budapest see our comprehensive map and list.
