Although officially its name is the Church of Our Lady, everyone knows it as Iglesia de Matías . It is the most important Catholic Christian temple in Budapest , and one of the most beautiful in all of Hungary, perhaps due to its eclectic architecture , the result of all the renovations it has undergone throughout history.
It stands in the Castle district, on the Buda side, and is one of the most visited ecclesiastical monuments in Budapest today. Of course, it is not for less, given its incredible beauty. In addition, as its acoustics are really good, many organ and classical music concerts are held in the Matías Church.
Eclectic where they exist
Although the Matías church was built from the 13th to the 15th century, under the reign of Béla IV, its current appearance is determined by the multiple reforms and extensions that it has undergone over the years, which have modified its appearance.
In its origins, it is believed that it was built on an old church from 1015 built by the first Hungarian king, Saint Stephen I. Later, it was Béla IV who ordered the construction of the Church of Our Lady on the remains of that first church. All the kings after Béla IV made a modification to it, such as Matthias I of Hungary who transformed the church in the Renaissance style (hence the nickname of the temple).
The last remodeling, at the end of the 19th century, gave the church a marked neo- Gothic style, which survives today. The ceiling stands out, made of beautiful multi-colored tiles. Inside, you can see frescoes and stained glass windows of great beauty made by the most important artists in the country.
A curious fact: the church of Matías was the scene chosen for the coronation of several kings. Charles IV, the last King of the Habsburgs, was also the last monarch to be crowned in the temple, in 1916.