The Church of the Assumption is one of the most important monuments of Budapest and a symbol of the whole of Hungary. Among the locals, the church is known as Mátyás Temple , although this name did not appear until the 19th century. The temple is located in the old Buda area near Buda Castle.

History and significance of Matyas Temple

The very original church, destroyed by Mongol raids, was built on this site in 1015. The present Gothic temple has stood here since the mid-13th century, although it served as the main mosque throughout the 16th century during Turkish rule.

The temple has been modified and rebuilt many times during its existence, so that in addition to the Gothic style, there are also many Baroque and especially neo-Gothic elements. These come from the most important reconstruction so far , in 1896 , by the architect Frigyes Schulek.

The church was severely damaged during the Second World War, but in the 1970s it was reconstructed to its original late 19th century appearance.

St. Matthias Church was the most important Hungarian church for many centuries - it served as the main coronation church of the Hungarian kings , and it was also the site of the last two coronations of the Austro-Hungarian emperors as kings of Hungary, Franz Joseph I (1867) and Charles I (1916).

The name "Matthias Temple"

Although the ecclesiastical name is "Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary", it is officially known as Matthias Church after the 19th century rebuilding and none of the locals call it anything else. The name was chosen in honour of one of the most important Hungarian kings, Matthias Corvinus, who ruled the country in the second half of the 15th century and was even a fellow king of Bohemia for a time.

In Hungarian history, Matthias Corvinus is one of the most respected historical figures.

Admission and opening hours

Due to the importance of the temple, entry is regulated and charged. You can also climb the 78-metre-high tower, a small lookout with amazing views of the whole of Budapest located at a height of about 58 metres.

It is open for tourists from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00-17:00, but on Sundays and Mondays there are many liturgical events and the entrance is usually more regulated. You can find out the specific opening hours on the official website matyas-templom.hu.

You can buytickets online and on the spot, for visiting the church, climbing the tower or a combined ticket for the church and the tower:

	Adult	Student, senior
Church only	2 900 huf	2 300 huf
Tower only	3 400 huf	2 900 huf

Please note, tickets for the tower must be booked online due to the limited capacity of the viewing platform.

Location and transportation

Matthias Church can be found in the centre of historic Old Buda on Szentháromság tér, right next to the Fisherman's Bastion. It's a short walk from the Danube River, but up a steep hill, but you can also use public transport: