Statue of Saint Elizabeth of Árpád House
Statue, monument, memorial plaque
The veneration of Saint Elizabeth of the Árpád dynasty in Bratislava is evident in the churches dedicated to her, the university named after her, and the statues depicting her. Rigele Alajos' statue of Saint Elizabeth stands in the courtyard of the former Provost's Residence (currently a seminary). We see Elizabeth with two children approaching her, one of whom she is gently covering with her cloak. The basket held in her left arm refers to the miracle of the bread. According to legend, Saint Elizabeth was the patroness of children. She founded a children's shelter, acted as godmother to poor families, and even assisted with births. The statue was commissioned by Dr. Ferenc Komlóssy, the Grand Provost of Bratislava, in 1907, on the 700th anniversary of Elizabeth's birth. (He also initiated the creation of Péter Pázmány's tomb in St. Martin's Cathedral in 1914.)