St.Stephen's Basilica

St Stephen's Basilica, Budapest, Hungary

The capital's largest and most important Catholic church is dedicated to St Stephen (Szent István), the first Hungarian Christian king. Inside the impressive building lies the Holy Right (Szent Jobb), the mummified right hand of St Stephen. This Neo-Classical structure was designed by József Hild and was built over the course of half a century from 1851.

Construction was taken over in 1867 by Miklós Ybl, who added the Neo-Renaissance dome after the original one collapsed in 1968. József Kauser completed the church in 1905. and not completed until 1906. The dome, burned down during the war and rebuilt in 1948-49, is the highest among Budapest's churches, with its 96 meters it has the same height as the dome of the Parliament building. In the ground-floor niches stand the statues of Latin Fathers of the Church, the four Evangelists are in the protruding niches of the pillars. You can see the twelve Apostles standing above the semicircular colonnade of the chancel.

The basilica is rather dark and gloomy inside, but decorated with several pieces from famous artists of the age. The dome is decorated with mosaics designed by Károly Lotz, the internal ornament of the church and the chancel is the work of several significant Hungarian artists of the period: Mór Than, Bertalan Székely, and Gyula Benczúr. In the center of the main altar there is a marble statue of St Stephen by Alajos Stróbl, behind the altar one can find the five bronze relieves of the chancel illustrating scenes from the life of the first Hungarian king. Inside the church there is a small treasury of ecclesiastical objects, and behind the main altar in a small chapel rests the Holy Right (Szent Jobb), the mummified right hand of St Stephen.

You can also take a walk to the top of the dome which offers one of the best views of the city.

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