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In 1882 a fund was set up to finance the erection of a memorial to King Matthias at Kolozsvár. By 1893 enough money had been raised and competition was announced to decide upon the sculptor of this monument. János Fadrusz had not originally intended to take part in the competition, but finally his admiration for King Mathias inspired him to make a design for the memorial. The works were judged in 1894, with seven Hungarian sculptors taking part, including Fadrusz. He was awarded the first prize and won the support of Alajos Stróbl and György Zala, who thought highly of his work. The foundation stone was laid on 20 September 1896.
The equestrian statue of King Matthias is one of the most monumental pieces of the period and the sculptor's "chef d'oeuvre". On the memorial at Kolozsvár (Cluj, Romania) the Renaissance ruler sits astride his battle steed in full armour, placed on the top of a bastion surrounded by his followers, Pál Kinizsi, Balázs Magyar and István Báthori. The king sits calmly contemplating, with a sword in his lap. The whole monument must have been unusual at the time, particularly the figure of the king, as Fadrusz's work, in contrast to the current eclectic style, is characterized by bold composition and harmony of mass, shape and contour. The memorial to King Matthias was a commission after Fadrusz's heart, and with it he won the Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris World Exhibition. The memorial was unveiled in 1902.
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