Matthias Coronation Church, Budapest

This commemorates the Hungarian Empire of Matthias of the late middle ages and the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the last 19th and early 20th Century.

The Church of Our Lady, popularly named after King Matthias (1458-90), who ordered the transformation of the southern tower.

The church was the scene of Hungarian coronations, including that of Charles IV in 1916 (the last Habsburg King). It was also the site for King Matthias's two weddings (the first to Catherine of Poděbrady and, after her death, to Beatrice of Naples).

During the century and a half of Turkish occupation, the vast majority of its ecclesiastical treasures were shipped to Pressburg (present day Bratislava) the part of Hungary, and following the capture of Buda in 1541 the church became the city's main Mosque. Ornate frescoes that previously adorned the walls of the building were whitewashed and interior furnishings stripped out.

The church was the place of the so-called Mary-Miracle. In 1686 during the siege of Buda by the Holy League a wall of the church collapsed due to cannon fire. The legend goes that an old votive Madonna statue was hidden behind the wall. As the sculpture of the Virgin Mary appeared before the praying Muslims, the morale of the garrison was said to have collapsed and the city fell on the same day.

Although following Turkish expulsion in 1686 an attempt was made to restore the church in the Baroque style. It was not until the great architectural boom towards the end of the 19th century that the building regained much of its former splendour. The architect responsible for this work undertaken in 1873-96 was Frigyes Schulek.

The church was restored to its original 13th century plan but a number of early original Gothic elements were uncovered. Schulek added new motifs of his own including the diamond pattern roof tiles and gargoyles laden spire.

The Church saw the coronation of the last two Hungarian Habsburg kings, Franz Joseph in 1867 and Charles IV in 1916.

During World War II the church was badly damaged. It was rebuilt between 1950 and 1960 to Schulek's plans.