Saint Anne Cathedral, Debrecen, Minor basilica and cathedral in Debrecen, Hungary
Saint Anne Cathedral in Debrecen is a baroque cathedral in the heart of the city, built with two towers and a limestone facade covered in stone carvings. The carved decoration was made by the Carlone family, a workshop from Milan known for ornamental stonework.
Construction began in 1721 at the initiative of a Hungarian cardinal, who brought in an Italian architect to design the building. After about 25 years of work, it was dedicated in 1746 and later given the status of a minor basilica.
The three statues on the facade, placed in niches after the 1928 restoration, depict Saint Emeric on the right, Saint Stephen on the left and the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus in the centre. Their carver is unknown, probably a baroque master. Above the main entrance stands the coat of arms of Imre Csáky, the bishop who founded the church.
The cathedral is in the center of Debrecen and easy to reach on foot from most parts of the old town. Since it is an active parish church, visiting during services may not always be possible.
The three facade statues are not the originals: the weathered limestone figures carved by the Carlone workshop were removed during the 1928 restoration, when two side entrances were opened and the stepped terrace widened. The present statues, of unknown authorship and probably by a baroque master, were placed in the niches then.
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