Budapest Tourism: St. Stephen's Basilica History

Video Transcript

"The Basilika of St. Stephen in Budapest, Hungary took over fifty years to build. It was finally finished in 1905. It took three leading architects, two of whom died before the work was finished, to lead the construction process. After St. Stephens was finished, it was considered so sturdy that important documents and artworks were stored in it while the country was under siege during World War two bombings. And even though St. Stephen's Church isn't technically a basilica, the Pope would have to give it that honor, Hungarians call it the basilica in honor of its sheer size. It is the largest church in Hungary. A full scale renovation of the church and neighboring square was finally completed in 2003, and visitors today can sip coffee outside in open air cafes."