Matthias Church

Matthias Church is located on Castle Hill in Budapest and is a neo-Gothic church. The artistic minaret and bell tower on the south side and the magnificent church vault are worth savoring. Historical background In the 13th century, the king ordered the construction of this church at the same time as the construction of the palace. In the 15th century, King Matthias I rebuilt the iconic minaret and bell tower on the south side, and the church was called Matthias Church after that. Since the kings of all dynasties were crowned here, the church is also known as the "Coronation Church". After the Turkish invasion, the church was converted into a mosque, and after several reconstructions, it has formed a multi-faceted style. Architectural pattern The architectural pattern of the Matthias Church is asymmetrically distributed and very consistent. The west façade of the church is decorated with the iconic Gothic rose window, and the south façade is the main entrance of the Matthias Church, with two large gates. The gate of Mary near the tower is carved with the sleeping Virgin Mary. The image of Leah, which is also the relatively complete part of the medieval building preserved in the Matthias Church. There are towering spires on both sides of the Minaret and Bell Tower. The more striking one is the Minaret and Bell Tower on the south side. This highly artistic tower has five floors, and the bottom two floors retain the square style when it was built in the early 13th century. The upper three floors are octagonal, and the towering top of the tower is like a sharp sword straight into the sky. The shield of King Matthias is stored on the third floor of the tower, and the three surviving ancient bells of the church are also stored here, the larger one weighing 3.2 tons. The vaults of the vaulted churches are also very impressive. The vaults are all inlaid with mosaics, and the beautiful patterns formed are particularly dazzling in the sun. There is also a crow statue on the top of the church. According to legend, during the reign of King Matthias, someone tried to plot against him with a poison ring, but the poison ring was taken away by the flying crow. Since then, the crow has become a symbol of auspiciousness in Hungary. The interior of the church is decorated with exquisite frescoes, and the light inside the church through the stained glass is beautiful. Several flags hang from the pillars in the main hall of the church. The main hall is spacious and bright. This huge project was completed in the 14th century and contains the tombs of the Hungarian emperor and his wife. There is a main altar on the west side of the church, which is richly decorated with exquisite details. The paintings on both sides of the golden cross depict the story of the Virgin Mary. There is a museum in the basement on the north side of the Matthias Church, which displays the items that were used by the kings and bishops of the past dynasties and the treasures inherited by the church. You can go and see it. Enjoying music In addition, Matthias Church is also famous for its acoustics, and the music played by its pipe organ is elegant and solemn. Now the church often hosts concerts. At Mass on Sunday, there will also be a wonderful performance by the choir, if you come across it, be sure to listen to it. After visiting the Matthias Church, you can go to the adjacent Fisherman's Bastion to overlook the beauty of the Buda District.