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Matthias Church

The legendary King of Hungary

Situated on the heights of the Buda Castle district, the Matthias Church, named after the Hungarian King Matthias I, has been restored and rebuilt several times since the 13th century. The Matthias Church has two towers in different styles, and the Holy Trinity Memorial Column on the west side was built to celebrate the end of the plague.

Situated on the heights of the Buda Castle district, the Matthias Church has quietly guarded Budapest for almost 800 years in the company of the Danube. The church’s Bell Towers and Colored Tiles are so striking that even from across the Danube, it is instantly recognizable from the undulating skyline.

The Matthias Church, or Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle, appeared at the beginning of the 13th century and was named after King Matthias I of Hungary. Since its construction, the Matthias Church has undergone several major restorations and reconstructions, and was even converted into a mosque during the Turkish occupation of Hungary in the 16th century. The current Gothic-style Matthias Church was mostly restored in the 19th century under the auspices of Frigyes Schulek, and only part of the Stone Facade is original.

Colored Roofs and Towers

Manywhere Trivia:
King Matthias I was a legendary Hungarian figure, fluent in seven languages, who introduced cultural, educational, and legal reforms in his country and raised a strong “Black Army”. But his untimely death and lack of a successor led to Hungary’s gradual decline.

The Holy Trinity Column on the west side of the church was erected to celebrate the end of the Black Death, and the Two Towers in Different Styles can be seen from Holy Trinity Square. The North Tower of Béla is named after the church’s original builder, King Béla IV, while the Gothic South Tower was built in 1470 during the reign of King Matthias I and has an observation deck at the top.

The Matthias Church once held a large collection of treasures, many of which were transferred to Bratislava by the Turkish army. Today the interior of the church displays Catholic relics and the replica of the Holy Crown of Hungary (the originals are kept in the Hungarian Parliament Building).

The Fisherman’s Bastion, built next to the church, is like a fortress and rampart guarding the sanctuary, with a view of the Danube and the city of Pest. A statue of the Hungarian national hero St. István on horseback stands between the Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion.

Fisherman's Bastion

A Fairytale Castle by Danube

Completed in 1902, the Fisherman's Bastion is located on the west bank of the Danube in Budapest and features a fortress-like exterior and seven towers, symbolizing the seven first Magyar tribes that settled here. The second-floor terrace of the Fisherman's Bastion is the best place to see the Danube and the Hungarian Parliament Building.