St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest

St Stephen’s Basilica (Szent István-bazilika) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Budapest, named after the first King of Hungary, Stephen I (c. 975–1038). His mummified right hand is kept in a reliquary here. Following the reorganisation of the archdiocese, the cathedral became the cathedral of the Esztergom-Budapest Archdiocese. Today, it is the third-largest church in modern-day Hungary and the largest in Budapest. It also forms part of the buffer zone of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See also Parliament building See also Buda castle History The Hetz Theatre, which featured animal fights, once stood on this site. János Zitterbarth built a temporary church here. In the 1810s, the residents of Lipótváros established a parish and began raising funds to build a new church. During the flood of 1838, the elevated ground saved many lives, and they donated funds towards the church. Initially, the church was to be named after Saint Leopold, but it was later renamed in honour of Saint Stephen I. The banker Simon Sinas became its principal patron. In 1931, Pope Pius XI granted the cathedral the title of minor basilica. In 1938, the 34th International Eucharistic Congress was held here. During the Second World War, the church was damaged, but refugees and valuable documents from the Hungarian National Archives found refuge in the cellar. Architecture The church was designed by József Hild in the Neoclassical style. In 1858, the dome collapsed, and the building had to be completely rebuilt. Following Hild’s death in 1867, Miklós Ybl took over the project, infusing it with Neo-Renaissance features. Construction began in 1851 and lasted 54 years, concluding in 1905 under the supervision of Emperor Franz Joseph I. It is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest, alongside the Hungarian Parliament. The church is 96 metres (315 feet) high, symbolising the equivalence of secular and spiritual contemplation. For a long time, it was forbidden to construct buildings taller than this in Budapest. The church is 55 metres (180 feet) wide and 87.4 metres (287 feet) long. Interior The basilica is built on a Greek cross plan. In the foyer of the main entrance are a relief of Saint Stephen by Károly Senyei and mosaics by Bertalan Székely. The dome above the altar depicts God the Father, whilst the tambour depicts Christ, the prophets and the evangelists (by Károly Lotz). The altar vault is adorned with mosaics by Gyula Benczúr depicting allegories of the Holy Mass, and bronze reliefs by Ede Mayer illustrating key events in the life of Saint Stephen. The altar canopy, designed by József Kauser, is crowned by a statue of Saint Stephen created by Alajos Stróbl. The pulpit was also crafted by József Kauser. The stained-glass windows were designed by Miksa Roth, whilst the organ, built by the Pécs organ factory and József Angster, is renowned for its gilded interior. Opening hours and prices The church is open daily from 9.00 to 17.15, and on Sundays from 12.30 to 17.15. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office by the basilica or online. Standard ticket: 2,600 forints (≈7.31 euros) Concession ticket (children, students, pensioners): 2,000 forints (≈5.63 euros) How to get to? The Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út underground station (line M1) is located next to the church. There is also a bus stop here called Szent István Bazilika (routes 9, 72, 914, 931, 950). See also France travel guide Spain travel guide Catalonia travel guide Pyrenees travel guideThe post St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest first appeared on All PYRENEES.