Page 92 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

90  BUD APEST AREA B Y AREA AROUND P ARLIA MENT  91

8 St Stephen’s Basilica VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Dedicated to St Stephen, or István, the first Hungarian Practical Information
Christian king (see p65), this church was designed by Szent István tér. Map 2 D5.
Tel (1) 338 21 51. Open
József Hild in the Neo-Classical style, using a Greek cross 9am–5pm Mon–Fri, 9am–1pm
floorplan. Construction began in 1851 and was taken Sat, 1–5pm Sun. 8 7 5
over in 1867 by Miklós Ybl (see p93), who added the Neo- Transport
Renaissance dome after the original one collapsed in 1868. q Deák Ferenc tér.
József Kauser completed the church in 1905. It received Mosaics
the title of Basilica Minor in 1938, the 900th anniversary The dome is decorated
of the death of Prince Imre (St Emeric), István’s son. with mosaics designed by
Károly Lotz.
St Matthew
St Matthew is one of
the four Evangelists . Main Altar
represented in the In the centre of the altar there is a
niches on the exterior Dome marble statue of St István by Alajos
of the dome. They are Reaching 96 m (315 ft), the dome Stróbl. Scenes from the king’s life are
all the work of the is visible from all over Budapest. The depicted behind the altar.
sculptor Leó Feszler. observation terrace beneath
the dome offers unique panoramic
views of the city.

Tower
A bell, weighing 9,250 kg . Holy Right Hand
(9 tons) is housed in this Hungary’s most unusual relic
tower. It was funded by is the mummified forearm of St
German Catholics to István. It is kept in the Chapel of
compensate for the the Holy Right Hand.
original bell, which
was looted by
the Nazis in 1944. St Gellért and
St Emeric
This portrayal of
St Gellért and his
pupil, St Emeric, is the
work of Alajos Stróbl.

Main Portal
The massive door is
decorated with carvings
depicting the heads of
the 12 Apostles.

KEY
1 Observation point . Painting by Gyula Benczúr
2 Figures of the 12 Apostles, by This image shows King István, left
Leó Feszler, crown the outer colon­ without an heir, dedicating Hungary to
nade at the back of the church. the Virgin Mary, who became Patrona
Hungariae, the country’s patron.
For hotels and restaurants see pp264–269 and pp276–285

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