Did you know Queen Sisi had a tattoo? Or that she spoke Hungarian in secret?
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8 June is an important date in Hungarian history: 158 years ago, on this day, Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) were crowned. For Sisi, the day was excruciatingly long: she was being dressed from early dawn, the ceremony took place in the morning, a crowd celebrated in the streets during the day, and she attended receptions in the evening. Madame Tussauds Budapest commemorates this significant event with figures of Elisabeth and Franz Liszt, along with historical reenactments and various programs.
The coronation of Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth took place on 8 June 1867, in the Matthias Church. On this grand day, not only the ruler but his beloved wife, Elisabeth, was also in the spotlight. Hungarians adored Sisi so much that she was crowned alongside the king, despite etiquette dictating that her coronation should have happened several days later.
A day that felt never-ending
Queen Elisabeth usually avoided ceremonies, but 8 June 1867, held great importance for her. The Empress played a key role in the Austro-Hungarian Compromise and was genuinely happy to become Queen of Hungary. The coronation was held at 7 AM in the Matthias Church. Preparations took hours: her hairdresser, Fanny Angerer, styled her hair, then her maids helped her dress. Elisabeth arrived at the church in a ceremonial carriage.
After the lengthy ceremony came the knighting of the Golden Spurs, the oath-taking in Pest, and finally, the symbolic sword swing atop the coronation mound built from soil of Hungarian counties near the Pest side of the Chain Bridge: the king pledged to defend the country by striking toward the four cardinal directions with the Sword of Saint Stephen. A coronation banquet at the palace followed.
Elisabeth dazzled in her diamond-adorned gown
At 30, Elisabeth was said to be at her most beautiful during the coronation. She wore a traditional Hungarian court dress adorned with embroidered lilacs, with diamonds sparkling at the centre of each flower. Following tradition, she later donated the gown to the Bishopric of Veszprém, where it was turned into liturgical vestments.
