If you have the opportunity to visit Práter utca 16 in Józsefváros, take a moment to admire the beautiful statues of the Virgin Mary and John of Nepomuk in the courtyard. John of Nepomuk is a beloved patron saint of the Czechs, and it’s common to see statues, chapels, and churches dedicated to him throughout Central Europe.

Now, you might wonder, why does a statue of this saint adorn a staircase in Budapest’s 8th district? Well, a memorial plaque inside the building holds the answer. The builder of this house, János Nepomuk Szeleczky, chose to honor the saint who shared his name. The house, constructed in 1898, was designed by his brother, Lajos Szeleczky.

Numerous Budapest apartment houses feature ‘hidden statues‘—some in the staircases or in the courtyards, like Szív utca 18, others on facades, like Thököly út 61.