The church was converted into a mosque during the 150-year Ottoman occupation of Buda in the 16th century.
A miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary was reportedly discovered hidden behind a wall during the 1686 siege of Buda, triggering the city's liberation from Ottoman rule.
The roof tiles were produced by the Zsolnay factory in Pécs, famous for their iridescent eosin glaze.
Franz Liszt composed his 'Hungarian Coronation Mass' specifically for the 1867 coronation held inside this church.
The Matthias Tower's name originates from King Matthias Corvinus, who ordered the construction of the original south tower in the 15th century.
The interior wall paintings were executed by Károly Lotz and Bertalan Székely, two of Hungary's most celebrated 19th-century painters.
During the Siege of Budapest in 1945, the church suffered extensive damage but was meticulously restored to its 19th-century appearance.
The crypt contains the sarcophagi of King Béla III and his wife, Agnes of Antioch.
The Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle, commonly known as Matthias Church, is a late-Gothic Roman Catholic structure located in the heart of the Buda Castle District. The current edifice dates primarily to the 14th century, though it underwent significant Neo-Gothic reconstruction in the late 19th century under architect Frigyes Schulek. The church is distinctive for its Zsolnay ceramic tile roof arranged in a colorful diamond pattern. Historically, it served as the site for the coronations of several Hungarian kings, including Charles IV and Franz Joseph I. The interior features elaborate murals and stained glass windows designed by prominent Hungarian artists of the late 1800s. Its main tower, known as the Matthias Tower, stands 80 meters tall and offers a vertical counterpoint to the nearby Fisherman’s Bastion. The crypt beneath the church houses the Ecclesiastical Art Museum, containing sacred relics and medieval stone carvings. The building stands on the foundation of an earlier 13th-century Romanesque church. It remains an active parish church and a primary symbol of Hungarian national history.
From the upper levels of the Fisherman's Bastion looking back at the tiled roof and main spire.
Purchase tickets online in advance to bypass the physical queue at the entrance.
Look for the entrance to the bell tower for a separate guided tour that provides a unique vantage point of the castle district.
Take time to examine the intricate gargoyles and stone carvings on the exterior facade before entering.
Do not attempt to enter through the main portal during ongoing church services; look for the designated visitor entrance.
Occasionally closes to tourists for private religious ceremonies, weddings, or concerts.
Shoulders and knees must be covered; maintain silence as it is an active place of worship.
