Four military barracks in Hungary will soon be adorned with new Turul statues after the Ministry of Defense (HM) awarded the project—without an open tender—to Dante Birodalom Kft., owned by sculptor Gábor Miklós Szőke, according to a report by Átlátszó.
The statues are set to be installed at the Klapka György Barracks in Tata, the Kossuth Barracks in Debrecen, the Zrínyi Miklós Barracks in Hódmezővásárhely, and the Szolnok Helicopter Base.
The Ministry of Defense justified its decision not to invite other artists by stating that only Gábor Miklós Szőke’s Turul statue design aligns appropriately with Hungarian military traditions. As a result, his company was awarded the project.
Szőke’s company has agreed to produce and deliver the four statues for a total of 89.9 million forints (net), meaning the state will pay 22.4 million forints per statue.
Technical Specifications of the Turul Statue
According to the procurement documents, the statue and pedestal will have the following characteristics:
- The Turul will be silver-colored and made of stainless steel plates.
- The figure itself will be 1.6 meters high, with a wingspan of 3 meters, while the total height of the monument will be 476 cm.
- The 3.1-meter-high pedestal will also be made of stainless steel and will feature the Hungarian coat of arms and the inscription Pro Patria, designed in the style of World War I military rings.
- The pedestal will have a trapezoidal, obelisk-like shape, inspired by the layout of the Csillagerőd (Star Fortress) in Komárom. Its edges will be decorated with rivets resembling those on armored military vehicles.
- The surface will be polished anthracite-colored and coated using industrial painting technology to ensure durability.
The installation of the Turul statues is expected to take place in the coming months, with preparations for the project already underway.
(Debreceni Nap)
Photo: Hungarian Defence Forces, Bocskai István 11th Armored Hajdú Brigade
