Basilica of Saint Stephen

The Basilica of Saint Stephen is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive religious edifices in Budapest. Plenty of features recommend it as a unique place of worship in the capital of Hungary. These features turn the edifice into a venue of special tourist interest. And, indeed, next to the Parliament building, the Church of Mathias and the Vidam Park, just to give a few examples, the Basilica of Saint Stephen is one of the tourist sites not to be missed out by visitors of Budapest.

The Basilica of Saint Stephen is not the oldest place of worship in Budapest. In fact, it is one of its most recent acquisitions in this respect. The construction works started in 1851, but it was no sooner than 1905 that they were completed. The construction took so long due to two chief reasons: the death of the initial architect, and the unfortunate collapse of the dome. However, the sluggish trajectory resulted in one of the most striking religious edifices in Budapest.

For instance, this Neo-Classical building is the largest of all places of worship in Budapest, being able to accommodate some 8,500 people. In height, the structure counts 96 meters, and that turns it into a splendid lookout from where virtually the entire Budapest can be admired (visitors can climb to the top either by taking the stairs or by taking the elevator set up to this purpose precisely).

On top of that, the Basilica of Saint Stephen features a monumental bell, in fact, the heaviest in the entire Hungary. Furthermore, the underground structure of the edifice is said to match the above-ground building in both size and grandness.

Another highlight refers to the fact it is at the Basilica of Saint Stephen that the mummified arm of Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary (the basilica bears his name), is exhibited.

Name:

Basilica of Saint Stephen (Szent Istvan Bazilika)

Address:

1, Istvan ter, 1051, Budapest, Hungary

Email:

segretario@basilica.hu

Website:

bazilika.biz