Basilica of St. Stephen Budapest

Admittedly, the basilica, named after Stephen I, the founder of the Christian Hungarian state, is not an insider tip. But: You have to marvel at it. Allegedly, the church is one of the ten most photographed buildings in the world. No wonder, since it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St. Stephen's Basilica is the fourth largest building in Budapest, which is interesting, but only becomes spectacular when you know that the basement is almost as large as the church, whose dome still rises 96 meters into the air, and offers a first-class view over the city.

The construction lasted 54 years; 3 famous architects have left their mark on the building. On the site of the basilica in the 18th century stood a theater - famous for its animal fights. Before the construction of the church, an enormous flood devastated the city in 1838, which became known as the Great Flood of Budapest. The square where the building stands today rose from the plain of Budapest and provided refuge for hundreds of people during the disaster. Survivors considered their fate a miracle of God and donated money to have a church built at the site of their survival. It took several years before construction actually began. Construction first began in 1851 under the supervision of József Hild.

The construction of the church was later taken over by architect Miklós Ybl, who replaced the earlier classical style with neo-Renaissance concepts. Miklós Ybl was the most famous Hungarian architect of his time; he designed, among others, the State Opera House and the building of the Burggarten Bazaar. Work on the basilica was finally completed in 1905 by József Kauser. During World War II, the valuable collection of the Hungarian National Archives, as well as many refugees, were sheltered from bombings in the basement of the massive building. The church was severely damaged similar to a large part of the city. The entire roof structure had to be replaced. In 1983, the city government decided to completely renovate the basilica and the corresponding works lasted until August 2003.

Basilica of St. Stephen
1051 Budapest, Szent István tér 1
Phone +3613110839
gajerster@gmail.com