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St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika), Budapest
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St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika), Budapest

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The Parliament & an interesting black building - Budapest
The Parliament & an interesting black building
by marielexoteria
St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika) tips and photos posted by real travelers and Budapest locals.

1051 Budapest, Hercegprímás u.
• 266 Photos
• 152 Reviews

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St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): Don't miss the cupola visit!
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  • St Stephans from Gellért Hill - Budapest
    St Stephans from Gellért
    Hill
    by MedioLatino
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    Start out from the beautiful square in from of the Basilica, then do the tour inside (no need for a guide, just walk arond and watch the details! :), and do_not miss the visit to the cupola!!

    If you are facing the entrance, you will find the stairs on the right hand side of the main door. There is also an elevator going up.

    The cupola offers a great view of the Pest side (including the Parlament, and the old stock exchange building on Szabadság tér, which is now the main building of the Hungarian National TV). You can also see the Buda side landmarks from a very diferent point of view. It's worth, that's it! :)

    Prices:
    Whole tour including chuch, treasury, "Saint Right" - the hand of our 1st King St Stephan and the cupola - 1500 Ft, starting tours: 9:30, 11:00, 14:00, 15:30 on weekdays, Saturday: 9:30, Sunday: 15:30, but you can simply enter the chuch or the cupola any time until 18:00 PM (price of the cupola alone is around 400 Ft).

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  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3). You can just have a nice walk across the Erzsébet tér or, arriving from the end of Andrássy út on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): The second biggest Basilica in the world
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  • St. Stephen offering his country to the Virgin - Budapest
    St. Stephen offering his
    country to the Virgin
    by csordila,
    3 more photos
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    This neo-renaissance and classicist church is said to be second in size to St. Peter's in Rome and can allegedly hold 8.500 people. Although not a basilica in the technical sense of the word, but Hungarians like to call "the Basilica" in honor of its sheer size.
    The cathedral has a height of 96 metres - exactly the same as the Parliament building. It took over 50 years to build it according to the design of Hild and Ybl. It was completed in 1905.
    The bust above the main entrance is of St. Stephen, Hungary's first Christian king.
    Inside the church, to the left of the Main Altar in the Holy Right Chapel you can see Hungarian Catholicism's most precious treasure, the mummified right fist of St. Stephen. On 20th August every year the Holy Right is carried around the city in a procession.
    In 2003 a full-scale eight years renovation of the church and neighboring square was completed, and now the cleaned-up front of the church graces the colorful and grand St. Stephen square, where travelers sip their coffee in open-air cafes.
    You can visit the viewing platform above the cupola from where, needless to say, you can admire one of Budapest's best panoramic views. The platform is open only between 1st April to 31st October.

    Notice: The renovation incl. the square was organized by me and my company from 1998.

    Daily Mass is held at 7:00am and 8:00am at the Holy Right Chapel, and 5:30am and 6:00pm in the Basilica
    Sunday Mass at 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00am, noon, and 6:00 and 7:30pm.
    Open: 9:00am - 5:00pm every day, in winter: 10:00am - 4:00pm
    Price 1600 HUF/ 6 € for an adult, 800 HUF/3 € for Senior (62+) and students

  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
  • Other Contact: Fax:+36 1 338-2151
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): Szent Istvan ter - square in front of the Basilica
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  • Pattern detail onSzent Istvan ter - Budapest
    Pattern detail onSzent
    Istvan ter
    by MedioLatino
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    The reconstruction of the St Stephens Basilica was finished recently and the square in front of the Basilica also got a new "design" with a very nice pattern. Worth to wlak around a bit and see the details before enterint the Basilica itself!

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  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): The Beautiful Lady
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  • In 1810 charity offers began to be collected in purpose of building the Basilica, although the building up was started only on the 14th of Aug, 1851 according the plans of Jozsef Hild. He led the constructions till his dead (1867). Then Miklos Ybl (architect of the Opera House) took over his job, till his dead. The finishing touches were made in 1905 by Jozsef Kauser.

    On the 22nd of Jan, 1868 the cupola collapsed because of the quality of the building materials that were received as a gift. Construction paused for a year because of reconstruction.

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  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1, M2, M3), terminal for buses 4, 9, 15 and trams 47, 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop at Arany Janos stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): Holy Right Chapel
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  • The Holy Right is believed to be the mummified right hand of St Stephen (King Stephen I was canonised 1083, about 50 years after his death). The relic is behind glass and in darkness. To see it better you can put a 100 ft coin in a machine and there will be light for a while in the glass casket.
    The Holy Right Chapel is to the left in St Stephen?s Basilica, behind the main altar.

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  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): St Stephen's Basilica
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  • St Stephen's Basilica in Budapest - Budapest
    St Stephen's Basilica in
    Budapest
    by MalenaN,
    4 more photos
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    St Stephen's Basilica is the largest church in Budapest, and the most important Catholic church. It was completed in 1905, but construction started already 50 years earlier. When the dome collapsed during a storm in 1868 the whole building had to be demolished and work started from the ground again. The church is built in neoclassic style. Statues on the exterior shows the twelve Apostles, the four Evangelists etc. The interior is decorated with work of arts made by 19th century Hungarian artists.

    The church is open every day, but not in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays.

    In summertime you can climb the steps (or take the elevator) to see the view from top of the dome, but it was closed in February when I was there.

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  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): St.Stephen Basilica - the interior
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  • St.Stephen Basilika / Szent István bazilika inside - Budapest
    St.Stephen Basilika / Szent
    István bazilika inside
    by globetrott
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    St.Stephen Basilika / Szent István bazilika looks really great from inside and you may enter it freely and without restrictions during the day !
    At first you will pass by a counter that might give you the feeling, you have to pay an entrance-fee for the church, BUT in fact the 200 hufl you have to pay there get you inside the small treasury of the basilika, showing mainly a replica of the famous Crown of St.Stephen and a few golden monstrances.
    The church itself is free of charge !

    There are some more pics of the Basilica in my travelogues - and a lot of great pictures on my link below !

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  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): Finally Scaffold Free Bazilika!
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  • After undergoing years of renovations with the requisite scaffolding covering much of the building, St. Stephen's Basilica (Bazilika) is finally restored to full glory for you to enjoy. Construction took much longer (1851-1905) than expected because the first dome caved in. A room to the side houses important treasures and relics, including the mummified right hand of King. St. Stephen, who brought Christianity to Hungary and founded the Hungarian state in 1000. On a clear day, it is worth climbing the stairs above the cupola for some great views of the city. Everyone tells me the Bazilika is the same height as the Parliament, easier to tell from the higher elevation! There are periodic concerts as well. Look for announcements in the renovated square in front. See my Hungary albums for more pictures.

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  • Phone: +36 1 311 0839
  • Directions: Centre of Pest near Metro station Deak Ferenc ter (all lines)
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): One of the Paintings at an Altar.
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  • Let me share one more special area inside the church, it was on a wall on the way to visit the room set aside for the small sepulchre wre the mummified hand of King St Stepehn.

    The painting was impressive in its own right. It is one of many examples of the magnificent Interior.

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  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): A view to the North shows a decorated roof.
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  • The buidling once housed the Post Office and is still resplendant in a green and gold set of roof tiles.

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  • Phone: +36 1 317-2859
  • Directions: Near Deak Ferenc ter (central metro station (M1 M2 M3), terminal for buses 4 9 15 and trams 47 49;M1 or bus 4 express Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut station/stop.
  • Website: http://www.basilica.hu
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