Freddie Mercury bust unveiled in Balatonszemes, Hungary

A bronze bust of Freddie Mercury was unveiled on Saturday evening at the Music Pavilion in Balatonszemes on the shores of Lake Balaton. The ceremony was part of the 33‑year‑old Queen Festival, which runs from July 22 to 26 and is free to the public.

The statue, sculpted by András Sándor Kocsis, is the third public Freddie Mercury monument in the world, joining those in Montreux, Switzerland, and in South Korea. The project was organized by the local Queen fan association together with the Balatonszemes municipality and received approval from Sony Music. Mayor Zsolt Iváncsics said the monument will raise the village’s international profile and attract visitors from many countries.

The unveiling coincided with the 80th anniversary of Mercury’s birth and the 40th anniversary of Queen’s concert in Budapest, underscoring the lasting cultural impact of the band in Hungary.