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St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest

St. Stephen's Basilica, Hungary
The west front of St. Stephen's Basilica. Photo Creative Commons License Barney Livingston.

Basilica
Back side of St. Stephen's Basilica. Photo Creative Commons License Giamesh.

Basilica Interior
Interior of St. Stephen's Basilica. Photo Creative Commons License Jim Moran.

Reliquary of the Holy Right
The Holy Right - King Stephen's hand. Photo Creative Commons License Curious Expeditions.

Interior with Dome
Interior detail with dome. Photo Creative Commons License Paul Charlesworth.


Interior of the dome. Photo Creative Commons License DDanzig.


View of Budapest from the basilica. Photo Creative Commons License Ian Koh.

Location map and aerial view of St. Stephen's Basilica. For a larger interactive view, see our Budapest Map.






Sheltering a sacred relic of King Stephen I, St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest is the largest church in Hungary.

History

Construction on the Bazilika was completed in 1905 after over 50 years of construction. The dome collapsed in 1868, requiring the builders to start over from the ground up. Three leading architects, two of whom died before work was finished, directed the design.

After its completion, St. Stephen's was considered so sturdy that important documents and artworks were stored in it during World War II bombings. In 2002, St. Stephen's Square was remodeled as part of a new pedestrian area. In 2003, the church exterior was fully cleaned and renovated.

What to See

Today, the basilica's facade overlooks the grand Szent István tér (St. Stephen's Square), a great place to enjoy coffee at open-air cafes. The church is built in a Neoclassical style with similarities to St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Over the main portal is a bust of King Stephen, Hungary's first Christian king and patron saint of the basilica. And inside the church is a reliquary with the "Holy Right" (Szent Jobb), the preserved right hand of King Stephen. It is Hungarian Catholicism's holiest relic.

Organ concerts are held at 7pm on Monday evenings from July through October.

Quick Facts

Site Information
Names: St. Stephen's Basilica; Szent István-bazilika
Location:Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Faith:Christianity
Denomination:Catholic
Dedication:St. Stephen of Hungary
Categories: Churches; Catholic Shrines
Architecture: Classical
Date:1855-1905
Status:active
Visitor Information
Address:V. Szent István tér 33, Pest, Budapest, Hungary
Coordinates: 47.500706° N, 19.053909° E   (view on Google Maps)
Lodging:View hotels near this location
Phone:1/317-2859
Website:www.basilica.hu
Public transport:Arany János utca (Blue line) or Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út (Yellow line)
Opening hours:Church: daily 7-7 except during services
Treasury: daily 9am-5pm (10am-4pm in winter)
Szent Jobb Chapel: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm (10am-4pm in winter), Sun 1-5pm
Tower: Apr-Oct: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
Cost:Church free; treasury 400 Ft; tower 500 Ft
Services:Daily Mass: 8am, and 5:30 and 6pm Sunday Mass: 8, 9, and 10am, noon, and 6 and 7:30pm

Note: This information was accurate when published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Travel Resources

Article Sources

Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:

  1. Frommer's Budapest & the Best of Hungary, 5th Edition.


Last updated on June 6, 2010.





 

 

 

 


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