Szeretet. Szobor

From Burning Man to the Hungarian Countryside

Alexander Milov first conceived the idea for LOVE in 2007, building a small tape-and-wire model that went largely unnoticed at a Kyiv gallery. He later rebuilt it at monumental scale, and it debuted at the 2015 Burning Man festival in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, where its fusion of vulnerability and visual drama drew international acclaim. After the festival, a Hungarian couple — owners of the Haraszthy winery — acquired the sculpture and transported it to their 122-hectare estate straddling the hills between Etyek and Vál.↗↗

Its placement among the vineyards was deliberate: the ridge-top site gives the wire figures a natural backdrop of open sky and rows of vines, and from the sculpture's base visitors enjoy sweeping views across the Etyek-Buda wine region. The owners describe the pairing as a conversation between art and landscape — the sculpture found its place right where the wine is born.↗↗

Reading the Sculpture

The adult figures are welded metal wire and mesh, slumped and turned away, their postures speaking of hurt and isolation. Inside them, two opaque plaster children face each other with outstretched hands. The wire represents the barriers we build between ourselves; the children embody the sincerity, innocence and desire for connection that remain within even the most guarded adults. According to Milov, the glowing inner children represent the hope that lovers can find each other again in dark times.↗↗

At night, the inner children are illuminated with a soft white light — a deliberate choice symbolising purity and the promise that in the darkest hours, love still glows. Many visitors describe the evening experience as the most moving time to encounter the piece.↗↗

Visiting the LOVE Sculpture

The sculpture is free to visit, open around the clock and accessible year-round, though it sits on private estate land and some seasons require time-slot booking. The Haraszthy team maintains a small wine shop on site, typically open weekends, where visitors can taste estate-bottled wines — including the dedicated LOVE brand — while taking in the views. Facilities include free parking, restrooms and a bicycle rack. The site is pet-friendly and wheelchair-accessible.↗↗↗

Getting there is easiest by car: Vál lies just off the M6 motorway about 30 km from Budapest's southern edge, and the sculpture sits on the outer edge of the village. The nearest bus stop is roughly 2 km away, making a 30-minute walk through the countryside if you prefer public transport.↗↗

LOVE FesztiVÁL and the Wine Connection

Since the sculpture's unveiling, the estate has hosted an annual festival called LOVE FesztiVÁL, held in October, that blends the free-spirited American campfire tradition of the sculpture's origin with Hungarian wine culture. Attendees gather around bonfires for food, music and a communal celebration of love and freedom. A spring edition has also been organised in some years, making the site a focal point for seasonal gatherings.↗↗↗

The Haraszthy winery itself produces a range of wines in the Etyek-Buda region — one of Hungary's coolest-climate viticultural areas, known for sparkling wines and aromatic whites. The LOVE-branded Irsai Olivér is a reductive, energetic white that the winery describes as "the bottled voice of the sculpture," tying the artistic landmark to the estate's identity.↗

Best Moments to Experience It

Dawn is the owners' recommended golden hour: the rising sun streams through the wire lattice and casts intricate shadows across the vine rows. Midday offers clarity and panoramic photography, while late afternoon and sunset bring a warm glow and a quieter atmosphere. Evening reveals the illuminated children and, on festival days or weekend gatherings, a communal fire that adds a ritual dimension to the visit.↗↗

Nearby Explorations

The Vál and Etyek area rewards those who stay for a half-day or full-day outing. The village of Vál itself holds a baroque Ürményi mansion, a mausoleum in the cemetery and a medieval church tower ruin. The nearby Etyek wine village is one of Hungary's most charming enotourism destinations, and the Alcsútdoboz Arboretum and Korda Film Studio are both within easy driving range.↗

With its hilltop setting, sweeping vineyard views and emotionally charged artwork, the LOVE sculpture has earned a devoted following — nearly 2,200 reviews with a 4.7 rating on Google Maps and a constant stream of visitors since Hungary's pandemic-era escape-from-the-city wave made it a household name.↗↗