Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
St Stephen's Basilica
More than worthy of St Stephen
(see p34)
, the Basilica
that carries his name is visible from all over Budapest.
Splendidly lit in the evening, it is perhaps the most pho-
tographed sight in the city. The dome, at 96 m (315 ft),
is the exact height as that of the Parliament, whose builders decided not to go
higher. It was built from 1851 to 1905 in the form of a Greek cross, and is the
work of three successive architects - József Hild, Miklós Ybl and József Kauser.
St István's Coronation
Top 10 Features
1 DomeandMosaics
2 NorthTower
3 MainAltar
4 MainEntrance
5 HolyRightHand
6 MainPortal
7 StGellértandStEmeryka
8 Treasury
9 GyulaBenczúrPainting
0 Figuresofthe12Apostles
Statue of St Matthew on
the façade
Every year on St
Stephen's Day (20
Aug), the Holy Right
Hand is carried by the
Basilica's priests past
large crowds of
people who gather in
front of the Basilica.
Arrive early to wit-
ness the spectacle.
!
Dome and Mosaics
TheNeo-Renaissance
domewasdesignedby
MiklósYblin1867afterthe
originaldome-designedby
JózsefHild-cavedindue
topoorworkmanshipand
materials.Itisdecorated
withmosaics
(right)
by
KárolyLotz.Aviewingplat-
formabovethecupolais
reachedbyaliftandstairs.
@
North Tower
A stone's throw away
from the Basilica is
Duran's, a sandwich
shop ideal for lunch.
It is located about
200 m (656 ft) south
of the Basilica, at 7
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út.
The9,144-kg(9-ton)bell
intheNorthTowerwaspaid
forbyGermanCatholics,
whowereashamedthat
theNazishadlootedthe
originalduringtheirretreat
fromBudapestattheend
ofWorldWarII.Theoriginal
bellwasnevertraced.
• Map L2
• V, Szent István tér
• 317 28 59
• Open Summer:
9am-5pm Mon-Fri;
Winter: 10am-2pm
Mon-Fri (tower closed);
all year: 9am-1pm Sat,
1pm-5pm Sun
• Adm: Free (church);
Ft300 (treasury); Ft500
dome viewing platform
• Dis. access
£
Main Altar
Alife-sizemarble
statueofStStephen(King
István),bysculptorAlajos
Stróbl,domi-
natesthemain
altar
(left)
ofthe
Basilica.On
eitherside,ine
paintingsbythe
19th-century
artistGyula
Benczúrdepict
scenesfromthe
saint-king'slife.
12
