В 2026 году завершится масштабная реставрация крупнейшей церкви Венгрии — базилики Эстергома

On 31 August 1856, the Basilica of Esztergom was consecrated — to this day the largest church in Hungary and a major work of Hungarian Classicism. High above the Danube, the Basilica of Esztergom has dominated the city’s panorama since the 19th century. Its history, however, stretches back much further: as early as the 10th century, a church stood on the castle hill, and in 1010 the cathedral dedicated to Saint Adalbert rose on the site of today’s basilica. After fires, destruction, and the Ottoman occupation, only the famous Bakócz Chapel survived — a masterpiece of Hungarian Renaissance art. Construction of the new building began in 1822 under Prince Primate Sándor Rudnay. Originally, a monumental complex was to be built on the castle hill — a veritable “Hungarian Vatican.” Of this plan, however, only the cathedral and parts of the canons’ houses were realised. Several architects were involved in the planning and execution; József Hild gave the building its monumental character through the iron dome structure and the raised tambour. On 31 August 1856, the cathedral was consecrated in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph by Prince Primate János Scitovszky. For the celebration, Franz Liszt’s Gran Mass, composed specifically for the occasion, was performed under the direction of the composer himself. At 118 metres in length, 49 metres in width, and a height of 100 metres to the tip of the dome cross, the basilica is the largest place of worship in Hungary. Eight Corinthian columns, each 22 metres tall, define the main façade. Inside, Michelangelo Grigoletti’s Assumption of Mary is one of the largest altarpieces in the world painted on a single canvas. Also particularly noteworthy is the Bakócz Chapel: during the reconstruction, it was dismantled into around 1,600 individual pieces, reoriented, and subsequently integrated into the basilica. The crypt is the resting place of numerous Archbishops of Esztergom, and since 1991 also of Cardinal József Mindszenty. The comprehensive restoration, which began in 2018, is set to be completed in 2026 — precisely the year of the 170th anniversary of the consecration. This will restore one of Hungary’s most significant buildings to its historic splendour.