![Archangel Gabriel on Heroes’ Square to Be Lifted Off for the First Time in 120 Years](https://ligetbudapest.hu/storage/12340/conversions/gabriel1-lead_md.webp)
The statue of Archangel Gabriel on top of the Corinthian column of the Millennium Monument on Heroes’ Square will be lifted off and fully restored for the first time in 120 years. The condition of the nearly five-metre-high bronze statue has drastically detoriated over the decades, and since only aesthetic intervention had been carried out in previous renovation projects, its renovation has become imperative. In the first and most spectacular phase of the project, implemented by the Városliget Zrt. asset management company, a huge scaffolding system will be constructed around the 36-meter-high column to facilitate the lift-off. After being transported to a conservation workshop, it will be restored to its original condition within 6-12 months, depending on the assessment of its internal condition. The restoration, commissioned by the National Heritage Institute, will be carried out by the winner of a public procurement announced based on the assessment after the lift-off. The restored statue of Archangel Gabriel is planned to be returned to Heroes’ Square in the first half of 2025. During the restoration works, the bronze statue of Archangel Gabriel and the capital of its supporting column will be reinforced.