The sculpture by Gyula Donáth was erected in 1905, in the final stage of
the turn-of-the-century expansion of Buda Castle, on the corner of the fence beside
the Habsburg Gate.
The statue is five metres high, seven metres wide and weighs
around nine tonnes. The coat of arms of historic Hungary can be seen on its
pedestal. The bird has been one of the most popular attractions around the Castle
District for nearly 120 years.
The statue suffered damage in World War II, and its condition deteriorated despite minor repairs. During restoration, experts undertook a complete cleaning of the protective coating and repaired the bronze surface with bronze welding.
The inner frame of the statue was also reinforced. The restored work was lifted back to its original location using a giant 60-tonne crane.
