Matthias Churchis one of the most beautiful churches in Budapest. It is located on a mountain in old Buda (in the Buda Castle). From the Danube side it is covered by the walls of Fisherman’s Bastion.
The ancient Hungarians built the first church on this site at the beginning of the 11th century, but in the 13th century it was burned by hordes of Mongol-Tatars. After the departure of the Tatars, the church was rebuilt, already in the Gothic style, and was included in the Buda Fortress complex.
View of the Matthias Church from the Fisherman’s Bastion
Since that time, the church has been remodeled and rebuilt many times. During the rule of the Ottoman Empire, it was even converted into a mosque. The appearance of St. Matthias Church that has survived to us was formed at the end of the 19th century, when the Hungarians, as part of the celebration of the millennium of Hungary, decided to restore the original appearance of the 13th century building. At the same time, the church was painted from the inside with beautiful patterns that have survived to this day.
The interior hall of Matthias Church is very unusually painted with bright colors
The church was named in honor of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, one of the most popular historical rulers of the Hungarian state among the people. Here at one time the coronation ceremonies of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary Franz Joseph I, as well as the last Hungarian kings, took place.
Photo of the altar of Matthias Church
The height of the top point of Matthias Church, the bell tower, is 80 meters. This is the tallest building on Buda Hill. The façade of the church faces Holy Trinity Square. On the side of the hillside facing the Danube, the fortress is surrounded by the walls of a decorative fishermen’s bastion. From here you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of The Hungarian Parliament and the Pest area.
View of the church from the streets of Buda
St. Matthias Church is a Catholic Church. Entrance for tourists inside is paid and is about 8 euros for an adult ticket (2.900 Ft in 2024). The church building is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. On Saturday you can get here from 9 to 13:00. On Sunday – from 13:00 to 17:00.
Matthias Church address: Szentharomsag ter, 2.
General impression of the site editors MashaPasha.com: Matthias Church is interesting for its unusual appearance both outside and inside. From the outside, its Gothic features and colorful roof tiles are eye-catching. Inside there are colorful stained glass windows and a unique bright painting of the columns and walls of the church with abstract patterns, which is a rather unusual phenomenon for Christian churches. Be sure to go up to the top floor of the church and walk under its roof. From there you can get beautiful photos of the interior of this cathedral.
Are you planning to go to Budapest? Then read about what you can bring from there in our article about Hungarian souvenirs. Also, to plan walking tours around the city, we advise you to familiarize yourself with this selection of tourist maps of Budapest. Don’t know where to change money in Budapest and what is the current exchange rate for the Hungarian forint? Then see the article about currency rates and exchange in the capital of Hungary. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with simple phrasebook of the Hungarian language.
