St. Stephen's Mausoleum, Memorial museum in Székesfehérvár, Hungary
St. Stephen's Mausoleum is a memorial museum in Székesfehérvár that houses an 11th-century marble sarcophagus elaborately decorated with angels, rosettes, and flowers. The coffin sits at the center of this space, serving as the main focus for visitors.
The building was erected in 1938 behind the ruins of the Basilica of the Assumption and honors Stephen I, Hungary's first king who reigned from 1000 to 1038. This period marked the foundation of medieval Hungary as a kingdom.
The interior walls display frescoes by Vilmos Aba-Novák depicting the Holy Crown of Hungary and a procession of Hungarian rulers across different eras. These paintings show how Hungarian identity connects to its royal history.
The site is connected to an adjacent museum displaying archaeological collections from the Neolithic period through Ottoman times. Visitors should plan time to explore both areas to gain a complete understanding of this important location.
During the Communist era, the frescoes were covered with white paint, which unexpectedly protected the original artwork until restoration occurred in 1996. This unintended preservation method proved surprisingly effective for safeguarding the paintings.
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