Matthias Church, Catholic church in Castle District, Budapest, Hungary
Matthias Church, formally the Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle, stands on Holy Trinity Square in Budapest's Castle District. Its late Gothic form is dominated by a slender spire rising through tiers of pointed arches and pinnacles, beside a shorter tower with a steep roof of diamond-patterned tiles. A gabled facade holds a rose window, and a white sculpted column stands in front.
King Béla IV had a first church built on this site in 1255, which was later rebuilt several times. Architect Frigyes Schulek carried out a complete transformation in the Gothic Revival style between 1873 and 1896.
The church is officially named for the Assumption of the Buda Castle, but since the 19th century it has been called Matthias Church after King Matthias Corvinus, who ordered the transformation of its southern tower. The building also served as a coronation church: Franz Joseph I and Elisabeth, and Charles IV and Zita were crowned within its walls. A memorial book preserves signatures including those of Emperor Akihito, George Walker Bush, Diana, Princess of Wales, King Harald V of Norway and Margaret Thatcher.
The main entrance opens onto Trinity Square, and guided tours are offered in several languages during the day. The building sits on a hill, so comfortable shoes are recommended and some time should be allowed for the climb.
During the Ottoman occupation, the building was used as a mosque, and Christian artworks remained hidden behind thick walls. A statue of the Virgin Mary reappeared in 1686 when parts of the wall collapsed.
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