Behind Matthias Church's patterned roof is a long history of coronations, royal celebrations, religious changes and painstaking restoration on Castle Hill.
Medieval roots and royal ceremonies
The Church of Our Lady on Buda Castle Hill is documented as under construction in the mid-thirteenth century. King Matthias Corvinus was closely associated with the church and celebrated both of his marriages here.
During Ottoman control of Buda in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the church was used as a mosque. It was returned to Christian worship after the reconquest of Buda in 1686.
A church rebuilt for a new age
In the nineteenth century, architect Frigyes Schulek oversaw a major restoration that reshaped the building's appearance. Franz Joseph and Elisabeth were crowned Hungarian king and queen in 1867, and Hungary's last king, Charles IV, was crowned here in 1916.
Damage during the Second World War led to further restoration. The church remains both an active place of worship and a major historical landmark.
STORIES & LOCAL TRADITIONS
Stories people tell.
DOCUMENTED HISTORICAL ACCOUNT
A coronation crown that mattered
In 1309 Charles I was crowned in the church with a provisional crown. The church's own historical account notes that his kingship required a later coronation with the Holy Crown of Hungary.
The episode reflects how the correct crown and ceremony were central to the legitimacy of medieval Hungarian rule.
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CATEGORY
Landmarks
LOCATION
1014 Budapest, Szentháromság tér 2.
Plan your visit
Make this a stop on a wider neighbourhood walk. Check individual interior visits or paid areas separately before making fixed plans.
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