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Perhaps Budapest’s most famous urban legend claims that when the Chain Bridge was inaugurated, the sculptor János Marschalkó became so devastated after a shoemaker’s apprentice pointed out that the lions had no tongues that, overcome with shame, he threw himself into the Danube.
How Was the Myth Born?
Interestingly, the story did not emerge immediately after the statues were unveiled in 1852. Instead, it only became widely known decades later, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Three key factors contributed to the legend’s popularity. First, the citizens of Pest—much like today’s online commenters—were particularly fond of criticizing public works of art.
Second, the tale follows a classic folk motif: the shoemaker’s apprentice represents the naïve yet “truthful” outsider who exposes the mistake of the celebrated master craftsman. Finally, the increasingly sensationalist press of the era eagerly embraced the story, as the tragic suicide of a devoted artist made for far more compelling headlines than the rather ordinary facts of lion anatomy.
The Facts and the Anatomy
In reality, however, the lions do have tongues. János Marschalkó sculpted the stone lions with anatomical accuracy. Unlike dogs, big cats do not pant with their tongues hanging out, so a lion’s tongue naturally rests behind its teeth, deep inside the mouth. If someone were able to climb onto the pedestal and look down into the lions’ open mouths from above, the carefully carved tongues would be clearly visible. From street level, however, the lower jaw simply blocks them from view.
The Sculptor’s Real Fate
The dramatic ending is therefore nothing more than a piece of Budapest folklore. János Marschalkó did not take his own life; he lived a long and successful career, passing away from natural causes in 1877 at the age of 59. The accusation that his lions were “tongueless” began as an ironic Budapest joke, something the sculptor himself was well aware of, since the tongues genuinely cannot be seen from ground level. Responding to both the legend and its critics, he famously replied with a witty remark:
"May God grant that your wife has a tongue just like my lions!"
The strength and dignity of the Chain Bridge’s legendary guardians also inspired a special Budapest-themed collection featuring lion motifs, available for visitors to discover in the Citadella and Szabadság gift shops.
