St. Stephen (István) Basilica

Szent István Bazilika

Though often called "the Basilica" for short due to its clerical rank as a basilica minor, it actually is shaped like a Greek cross, with two steeples and a dome on top. Designed by Miklós Ybl and József Hild, and built 1851-1905, it is as high as the Parliament building (96m) -- it's the highest church in Budapest. It was built here because hundreds of people survived the great flood of 1838 on this spot. Walking in the main entrance, after climbing a series of stairs, the viewer is first greeted with a relief of St Stephen, then a mosaic of Christ's resurrection. There are many notable mosaics in this church, especially those within the dome designed by Károly Lotz, best known for his ceiling frescoes in the State Opera and Ethnographic Museum. While designed here, the mosaics were made in Venice. The foremost Hungarian artists of the day designed the artworks within St Stephen's, among them Bertalan Székely, Gyula Benczúr and two men also known for their work in the Opera, Mór Than and Alajos Stróbl. Here Stróbl contributed the central statue of St Stephen on the main altar. In the left hand chapel is the "Chapel of the sacred right hand" this is pretty surreal as St Stephen's surviving hand in a glass box, lovely. Organ Concerts in the Basilica see to do chapter.

• museum

Address

V. Szent István tér 1

Getting there

: Arany János utca, OR: Deák Ferenc tér

Hours

Closed · opens 9 am tomorrow

Weekly hours

Mon	9 am–7 pm
Tue	9 am–7 pm
Wed	9 am–7 pm
Thu	9 am–7 pm
Fri	9 am–7 pm
Sat	9 am–7 pm
Sun	9 am–7 pm

Price

A donation of Ft200 is expected at the entrance. For an extra fee visit the very top of the Basilica to get a wonderful view

Website

bazilikabudapest.hu (opens in a new tab)