Matthias Church Budapest: Church of Our Lady in Buda Castle

Yet another beautiful church of Budapest, the Matthias Church!

Originally built in the year 1015, the exteriors got many restorations. The present look is the result of the extensive restoration work in late 1900s. The cathedral is named after King Matthias Corvinus, who ruled from 1458 to 1490, the church was the scene of several coronations including that of Charles IV in 1916 (the last Habsburg king). It was also the site for King Matthias’s two weddings.

Do read: Beautiful Interior of Matthias Church Budapest.

Matthias Church in Budapest

Matthias Church Budapest: Interesting Facts

  • This is the oldest church of Budapest. Béla IV, who was rebuilding the country after the Mongolian raids of 1241-1242, began the construction  in 1255.
  • The southern tower, 80 meters tall, bears the king’s name, because he ordered its restoration and marking it with his symbol, the raven.
  • One of the gates preserves the memory of Matthias’s second wife, Beatrice of Naples.
  • Some of the old stained glass windows are preserved well.
  • Handmade tiles were used for the roof of the church.
  • It was used a mosque for 145 years.
Matthias Church Budapest Hungary

Matthias Church Budapest

Church to Mosque and back as Church

Buda was captured by Turks in 1541, during the century and a half of Turkish occupation, the vast majority of its ecclesiastical treasures were shipped to Pressburg (present day Bratislava). The church became the city’s main mosque.

Matthias Church was also a place of the so called Mary-Wonder. The interesting story is that, in 1686 during the siege of Buda by the Holy League a wall of the church collapsed due to cannon fire.

As if by miracle an old votive Madonna statue hidden behind the wall got exposed. As the sculpture of the Virgin Mary appeared before the praying Muslims, the morale of the garrison collapsed and the city fell on the same day.

Stained Glass Windows

During World War II, Budapest suffered heavy losses and the church too was damaged partially. Fortunately, some of the church’s valuables like the painted window glasses made by Bertalan Székely and Károly Lotz, which were hidden during the war, escaped the shattering effects of bombs.  They can be still seen in their original form on the Southern side of the church.

Matthias Church Roof Tiles

Architect Frigyes Schulek is credited with largely restoring St. Matthias Church to its original splendor. He added magnificent diamond patterned roof tiles and gargoyles. The colorful ceramic tiles of the roof of Matthias Church were made by the famous Zsolnay Manufacture.

It gave the building a mild modern look. Here is a picture of the beautiful tile patterns. They reminded me of the colorful tiles in Vienna Cathedral – Roof Tiles of St Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna and those in Basel Minster, Switzerland.

Nearby attractions:

The Fisherman’s Bastion on Buda Castle hill. Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue is in UNESCO World Heritage list since 1987.

Open Timings of Matthias Church

The church is a venue of several events, so it is advisable to check the open timings if you plan a visit to Buda Castle in Budapest. The general timings are:

Mon – Fri: 09.00-17.00, Sat: 09.00 – 13.00, (on some Saturdays till 17.00) and Sun: 13.00 – 17.00, on religious holidays opening hours vary.

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