Szabó Magda Stele

Did Szabó Magda’s love for cats extend beyond the pages of her novels? Here at the Szabó Magda Stele, a carved wooden kopjafa, we celebrate the life and work of this remarkable Hungarian author. The inscription, a testament to her legacy, reads “Szabó Magda Kossuth Prize winner writer 1917-2007”. The Szabó Magda Stele stands as a quiet tribute, tucked away in a city brimming with grand monuments and bustling streets. It’s a simple memorial, made of wood, yet it speaks volumes about the woman who touched countless lives with her words. Magda Szabó, born in 1917 and passing away in 2007, was a Kossuth Prize-winning author. While she wrote extensively about her family history, memoirs of her time in Vienna, and even her beloved cats, it was her novels that truly resonated with readers worldwide. One of her most celebrated works, “The Door”, offers a glimpse into the complex relationship between a writer and her housekeeper, mirroring Szabó’s own life with her housekeeper, Julianna Szőke. Though fictionalized, the story captures the essence of their bond, much like this stele captures the essence of Szabó herself. Interestingly, the film adaptation of “The Door”, starring Helen Mirren, wasn’t filmed at Szabó’s actual residence on Jália utca but on Lotz Károly utca, a few streets away. So, as you stand before the Szabó Magda Stele, consider the quiet power of this unassuming memorial. It’s a reminder that even in the grand tapestry of Budapest’s history, the intimate stories, the individual lives, hold just as much significance.