St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent István Bazilika)

If you happen to be meandering through Budapest, and have the urge to do a little sightseeing, St. Stephen’s Basilica is definitely a sight to see. The structure is named in honor of Stephen, the first king of Hungary. Apparently, his right hand is also housed here, but fortunately I did not come across it during my explorations. What I did come across, and what will greet you upon entering, is a dazzling array of multicolored marble columns that soar to the heavens. What is not carved in relief on the walls is gilded in gold on the ceilings. The intricacy of the floor and the meticulous attention to detail will almost make you forget to look up. Ah, but when you do, what a sight to behold! The dome of St. Stephen’s is probably one of the more awe-inspiring views in Budapest. Natural light spills in from the etched windows to illuminate the works of art that seem to float above you, all while being surrounded by an inordinate amount of gold leaf. The visual masterpiece almost makes you want to clap - it makes you want to give King Stephen a hand.

Sometimes pictures simply do not do a place justice, you just have to go see it for yourself. St. Stephen’s Basilica is definitely one of those places. This enormous Roman Catholic basilica resides in the heart of Budapest, and will surely draw awes from anyone who cares to cross its threshold. The intricate details that grace this building are incredible, and given its size, it’s hard to imagine the amount of sheer effort and willpower it took to create such a grand structure. Oh, and apparently one of St. Stephen’s hands resides somewhere within its walls. Just a little piece of trivia for you to ponder during your visit.

I just loved the scene in itself.

Definitely one place to visit in Budapest.

St. Stephen’s Basilica is one of the significant building in Budapest, its location balance with the Parliament house. Not only it’s worth a visit, but also you can choose to attend the concert hosted inside the Basilica at night.

In the area surrounding St. Stephen’s Basilica, it seems that it can be seen from every vantage point. It’s no wonder considering that it’s the country’s third largest church. While walking along a side street in Pest, I thought that I was well out of visual range of the basilica. But when I happened to turn around, there it was!

The Saint Stephan’s Basilica is an impressive neo-renaissance building that is situated right in the middle of downtown Budapest. It is an important religious site as it is one of the most important Catholic churches in Hungary and it’s a true architectural masterpiece. The construction started in 1851, according to the plans of Miklós Ybl, and was completed by József Kauser in 1905. In the next 50 years the church suffered from wars, storms and earthquakes. It was reconstructed 1983-2003. From Spring to Autumn, the Basilica is home to organ concerts, performed by the renowned Hungarian organist, Miklos Teleki, accompanied by flutist Eleonora Krusic and oratorio singer Kolos Kovats. Program Antonio Vivaldi -Johann Sebastian Bach : Concerto in a minor (Allegro, Andante,Allegro) Antonio Vivaldi : 4 Seasons - Winter (Largo) Alessandro Stradella : Pieta Signore Tommaso Albinoni : Adagio Ludvig van Beethoven : Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur Ferenc Liszt : Fantasy and Fugue on the theme B-A-C-H Franz Schubert : Ave Maria Georges Bizet : Agnus Dei Johann Sebastian Bach: Menuett, Badinerie from suite in B minor Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor Concerts begin in April, on Thursdays