⛪ Matthias Church (Budapest)
Hungary
About This Sacred Site
Matthias Church (officially the Church of Our Lady) stands on Castle Hill in Budapest's Buda district. Founded in 1015, the current Gothic structure dates from the 14th century but was extensively restored in the late 19th century by architect Frigyes Schulek, who added its trademark colorful Zsolnay tile roof. The church served as the coronation site of several Hungarian monarchs, including Franz Joseph I in 1867, for which Franz Liszt composed his famous Coronation Mass.
Key Facts
- •Originally founded in 1015 by King Stephen I, Hungary's first Christian king
- •Converted into a mosque during 150 years of Ottoman occupation (1541–1686)
- •Franz Liszt composed his Coronation Mass for the 1867 coronation of Franz Joseph I held here
- •The colorful diamond-patterned roof tiles are from the famous Zsolnay porcelain factory
- •The 19th-century restoration by Frigyes Schulek added neo-Gothic elements and the Fisherman's Bastion next door
Location
Coordinates: 47.5019, 19.0346
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