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

St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika) tips and photos posted by real travelers and Budapest locals.

1051 Budapest, Hercegprímás u.
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• 153 Reviews

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St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): Don't miss the cupola visit!
  • Tip Rating:
  • MedioLatino
  • Updated By MedioLatino on September 13, 2004
  • Budapest Page by MedioLatino
  • St Stephans from Gellért Hill - Budapest
    St Stephans from Gellért
    Hill
    by MedioLatino
    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 Beautiful Lady
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  • shirez
  • By shirez on March 16, 2005
  • Budapest Page by shirez
  • St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika) - Budapest
    by shirez
    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): Szent Istvan ter - square in front of the Basilica
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  • MedioLatino
  • By MedioLatino on December 13, 2004
  • Budapest Page by MedioLatino
  • Pattern detail onSzent Istvan ter - Budapest
    Pattern detail onSzent
    Istvan ter
    by MedioLatino
    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 second biggest Basilica in the world
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  • csordila
  • Updated By csordila on February 28, 2009
  • Budapest Page by csordila
  • St. Stephen offering his country to the Virgin - Budapest
    St. Stephen offering his
    country to the Virgin
    by csordila,
    3 more photos
    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): Holy Right Chapel
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  • MalenaN
  • By MalenaN on March 14, 2006
  • Budapest Page by MalenaN
  • The Holy Right - Budapest
    The Holy Right
    by MalenaN,
    2 more photos
    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
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

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    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): St Stephen's Basilica
  • Tip Rating:
  • MalenaN
  • By MalenaN on March 12, 2006
  • Budapest Page by MalenaN
  • St Stephen's Basilica in Budapest - Budapest
    St Stephen's Basilica in
    Budapest
    by MalenaN,
    4 more photos
    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
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): St.Stephen Basilica - the interior
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  • globetrott
  • By globetrott on February 9, 2005
  • Budapest Page by globetrott
  • St.Stephen Basilika / Szent István bazilika inside - Budapest
    St.Stephen Basilika / Szent
    István bazilika inside
    by globetrott
    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
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): One of the Paintings at an Altar.
  • Tip Rating:
  • dabidc
  • By dabidc on October 21, 2004
  • Budapest Page by dabidc
  • The Crucifixtion. - Budapest
    The Crucifixtion.
    by dabidc
    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
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): A view to the North shows a decorated roof.
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  • dabidc
  • By dabidc on October 21, 2004
  • Budapest Page by dabidc
  • The old Post Office. - Budapest
    The old Post Office.
    by dabidc
    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
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent Istvan Bazilika): Pillars inside the Basilica of St Stephen.
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  • dabidc
  • By dabidc on October 21, 2004
  • Budapest Page by dabidc
  • Red and Gold Interior. - Budapest
    Red and Gold Interior.
    by dabidc
    There is afreedom to roam around the Basilica and admire the altars and the interior in general. It does not seem possible that 8500 poeple acn attend a mass or celebration in the church. It seems compact and much smaller.

    It is a relatively new structure, it was started in 1851 and completed in 1905.It is neo Classical design and believe it or not the figure 96 is prominent again, it is the height of the dome. You may recall that the Parliament also has several features connected to 96.

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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
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
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