Matthias Church

Originally founded in 1015 by Saint Stephen, the first King of Hungary, the church was initially known as the Church of Mary. However, the Mongol invasion in 1241 resulted in its destruction, leading to its reconstruction in the mid-13th century under King Béla IV. Throughout the Middle Ages, it served as a spiritual center, hosting the coronations of several Hungarian monarchs and the two weddings of King Matthias Corvinus, for whom the building was eventually renamed. During the 150-year Ottoman occupation starting in 1541, the church underwent a dramatic transformation when it was converted into a mosque known as Büyük Camii. Its ornate frescoes were whitewashed, its altars were removed, and Islamic geometric patterns replaced Christian iconography. Following the liberation of Buda in 1686, the church was returned to the Catholics, but it suffered significant damage during the siege and subsequent Baroque-style renovations that failed to capture its original grandeur. The landmark we see today is largely the result of a massive restoration project led by architect Frigyes Schulek between 1873 and 1896. Schulek aimed to restore the building to its 13th-century Gothic splendor while adding unique elements like the iconic Zsolnay ceramic roof tiles and the asymmetric bell tower. This neo-Gothic masterpiece survived the heavy bombings of World War II and remains one of Budapest's most recognizable symbols, serving both as a place of worship and a museum of ecclesiastical art.