The bronze equestrian statue south of St. Michael's Church shows Matthias Corvinus — Renaissance king of Hungary, born in Cluj in 1443 — receiving captured banners from his enemies. Sculptor János Fadrusz finished the monument in 1902, and it is considered one of the finest equestrian statues in Europe.
The statue's status has shifted with the politics of the region. After 1918 it was a sore point for Romanian authorities; after 1989 it was restored to pride of place. Today it is just the meeting point — say "at the statue" and any local in Cluj knows where you mean.