Hungary has some of the most beautiful churches, you should check them out!
The holiday season is closing in on us, so, in this article, we would like to help you get into the holiday spirit with some of Hungary’s most beautiful churches. If you are in Hungary, you should check out some of them and their Christmas markets as well. While at it, you might want to try out the mulled wine to keep you warm.
The original article and list can be found in Hungarian on Termalfurdo.hu.
Saint Stephen Basilica
This neo-renaissance church is one of Hungary’s most significant religious buildings as well as one of the capital’s biggest tourist attractions and the main location of the St. Stephen cult. This is the place where St. Stephen’s right hand, one of Hungary’s most sacred relics, is kept. Adding to the uniqueness of the building, with its 96 meters of height, it is one of Hungary’s tallest buildings as well. This is the reason the view from the top of the building is so stunning. It is definitely worth a visit. The square in front of the basilica is the location of a Christmas market. One of the main attractions in the market is the series of animation movies projected onto the wall of the building with a special 3D-effect. These movies are about Christmas and other religious elements.
Read our article about the namesake of the church, Saint Stephen, HERE.
Great Protestant Church of Debrecen
Debrecen’s iconic building is also Hungary’s largest Protestant church with its whopping 1,500 square meters of floor area. It is the symbol of the Hungarian Protestant Church. The height of the church towers with the ornaments is 61 meters. The cathedral can be visited throughout the whole year and, according to the city’s plans, there will be an ice rink in front of the church gate on the main square of Debrecen. The surrounding area gives a home to the advent market, and there will be several festive concerts until the holidays.
Dome of Szeged
The Votive Church and Cathedral of Our Lady of Hungary is Hungary’s largest basilica. The flamboyant ornaments adorning the walls of the Dome are the greatest works from 20th-century Hungarian arts. The church can house 5,000 people at once, which is approximately the same number as some smaller stadiums. The cathedral is 81 meters high, and 287 steps lead up to the top, where people can admire the stunning panorama. The Christmas market opened on the 23rd of November on the square next to the church, with many activities to choose from. There is an ice rink, ice sculpting shows, a giant castle, a Christmas crafts market and the largest haystack labyrinth of Southern Hungary, just to name a few things to look out for.
Basilica of Esztergom
This is the largest church building in Hungary. From the lower church up to the top of the cupola, the building is 100 meters high. This also makes it the highest church building in Hungary and one of the biggest basilicas in Europe as well. Its 17 meters of thick walls make up Central Europe’s thickest rampart. There is even more to this building, as it houses one of the largest collections of ecclesiastic works of art. The Cathedral Treasury is also here, where visitors can delight in the tools and relics used for crownings. The basilica organises concerts and guided tours.
Heart of Jesus Church in Kőszeg
The Heart of Jesus is one of Hungary’s most beautiful neo-gothic church buildings. The construction of the building was finished in 1894. Its title of the largest building in Kőszeg remained unbroken for 120 years now. The church tower is 57 meters high, and the nave is 49 meters long, 17 meters wide and 19 meters high. The interior of this three-naved church is stunning, to say the least. The walls, ceiling, and columns are decorated with polychrome paintings. The window-paintings are also jaw-dropping. As usual, the main square of this church also hosts the Christmas market, but the people in Kőszeg wait for the holiday with festive lighting and a wreath.
Basilica of Eger
Interestingly, the Basilica of Eger has two other names: Saint Michael and Saint John Main Cathedral. This building takes the second place among Hungary’s largest churches. It is 90 meters long, the dome is 40 meters high and the church tower is 55 meters high. On the occasion of the biggest religious holidays, it can house four to five thousand people. During the advent period, visitors of Eger are welcomed by spectacular light shows, the illuminated sight of the Castle of Eger, many cultural activities around the city and family and craft activities as well.
Although it did not make the list, you can read about another famous church in Hungary HERE.
Source: termalfurdo.hu