Photo: Tom Corser · CC BY-SA 3.0 · editedSzent Istvan Bazilika
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Marc Ryckaert ( MJJR ) · CC BY 3.0 · edited
What's on here
VIRRASZTÁS MAGYARORSZÁGÉRT (MÁRIA KÁPOLNÁBAN)
12 Nov – 13 Nov
SZENTMISE – VASÁRNAP ELŐESTI (BAZILIKA)
Saturday, 18:00
SZENTMISE (BAZILIKÁBAN)
Sunday, 08:30
SZENTMISE (NAGYMISE)
Sunday, 10:00
KERESZTELŐK (BAZILIKÁBAN)
Sunday, 11:00
SZENTMISE (BAZILIKÁBAN)
Sunday, 12:00
BAZILIKA IDEGENFORGALOM SZÁMÁRA LÁTOGATHATÓ!
Sunday, 13:00
VIRRASZTÁS MAGYARORSZÁGÉRT (MÁRIA KÁPOLNÁBAN)
19 Nov – 20 Nov
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Why go
- St Stephen's right hand (Szent Jobb) in a glass box, in the left-hand Chapel of the Sacred Right Hand.
- The 9,250 kg Great St Stephen's bell, the largest in Hungary, hangs in the south tower.
- The treasury, in three rooms, holds the most complete legacy of Cardinal Mindszenty.
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 18:00Show all
Don't miss
- Tympanum mosaicMór Than's mosaic of 1893 shows Maria as Patrona Hungariae, among other saints.Above the main entrance. On the map
- Dome mosaicA large mosaic of Jesus and angels is in the dome; Károly Lotz designed the dome mosaics.Inside the dome, seen by looking up. On the map
- Main altarThe canopied main altar was designed by József Kauser; Alajos Stróbl made its central statue of St Stephen.In the sanctuary. On the map
- Sanctuary vault mosaicsGyula Benczúr's mosaics on the vault show allegories of the holy mass.The vault over the sanctuary. On the map
- Gellért and St EmerichA sculpture of Gellért with his pupil St Emerich.In the entrance area. On the map
Know before you go
- Open Monday to Saturday, 09:00–18:00; Sunday, 13:00–18:00.
- A visit to the very top of the dome costs an extra fee.
- Phone: +36 1 311 0839.
Legends and hidden details
- The hand relic was kept in Bihar and Raguse, then taken to Vienna and brought back to Buda in 1771.
- Stephen was canonised in Székesfehérvár in 1083, after his death in 1038.
Services and visiting hours
- Every Monday
- Organ concert
- 20 August
- Procession with the relic; thousands gather for the feast of St Stephen
- Advent
- Christmas fair in the square in front of the church
- Vigil
- Held in the chapel; see the event calendar for dates
Interesting facts6
-
Teammates Sándor Kocsis, Gyula Grosics and Jenő Buzánszky were later buried here too.
St.-Stephans-Basilika (Budapest) - Wikipedia -
Beneath the church lies a basement three floors deep, nearly as large as the church itself.
St.-Stephans-Basilika (Budapest) - Wikipedia -
Although the mosaics were designed in Budapest, they were made in Venice.
Budapest/Belváros - Wikivoyage (see) -
1905
József Angster, a pupil of Cavaillé-Coll, built the organ in 1905; it was enlarged to 93 stops in 1989–1993.
St.-Stephans-Basilika (Budapest) - Wikipedia -
One bell was not taken in either world war; it is the church's only original bell.
Szent István-bazilika (Budapest) - Wikipedia -
Below the tympanum, the main facade carries the motto 'Ego Sum Via, Veritas et Vita'.
St. Stephen's Basilica - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
The site once held the Hetz-Theater, known for animal fights. The church began as a parish church named for Saint Leopold, built by the German community of Pest. In 1897 it was placed under the protection of Stephen and named after him. The dome burned in 1947, and national donations paid for its restoration. A full renovation, begun in 1983, was completed in 2003. During the war the cellar sheltered refugees. In 2006 the footballer Ferenc Puskás was given a state funeral here, an honour once reserved for kings and saints.
- c. 975–1038Stephen, the first King of Hungary, after whom the church is named.
- 1838Hundreds survived the great flood on this high ground, where the church now stands.
- 1851Construction begins to József Hild's neo-classical plans.
- 1868The dome collapses because its foundations were faulty. Miklós Ybl then reworks the church in neo-Renaissance style.
- 1905József Kauser completes the church, which is consecrated that year.
Show all
- 1931Pope Pius XI gives the church the title of minor basilica, the first in Hungary.
- 1938The church is the main venue of the 34th International Eucharistic Congress.
- 1944–1945Bombing badly damages the walls and towers. The relic is taken west in 1944 and returned in 1945.
Accessibility
- Lift A lift serves the dome gallery. The treasury is reached by lift or by stairs from the colonnade.
- Balustrade The balustrade around the dome is open to visitors.
Sources: St. Stephen's Basilica - Wikipedia · Budapest/Belváros - Wikivoyage (see) · Szent István Bazilika – Budapest – Ego sum via … · Szent István-bazilika (Budapest) - Wikipedia · St.-Stephans-Basilika (Budapest) - Wikipedia · Basilique Saint-Étienne de Pest - Wikipedia · checked 17 Oct 2026
- Website
- bazilikabudapest.hu/
- Phone
- +3613110839
Questions and answers
Where is Szent István Bazilika in Budapest?
It stands at V. Szent István tér 1, in the Lipótváros quarter of the fifth district, close to the Chain Bridge (Kettenbrücke).
Can you go up the dome of Szent István Bazilika?
Yes. The dome gallery is reached by lift or by steps, and it has views over the whole city.
Did St Stephen's right hand ever leave Szent István Bazilika?
Yes. The relic was taken west in 1944 and returned to Hungary in 1945.
Does Szent István Bazilika hold organ concerts?
Yes. Organ concerts are held every Monday. The event calendar lists other events and vigils.
Is Szent István Bazilika accessible by lift?
Yes. A lift serves the dome gallery.
What are the opening hours of Szent István Bazilika?
It is open Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 18:00, and on Sunday from 13:00 to 18:00.
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