Different Kinds of Art: St Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest

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Today, I am excited to take you on a mini tour of St Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest.

St Stephen’s Basilica located in Pest, is the largest church in Budapest. It took fifty four years to build and was completed in 1905. The church is named after Saint Stephen I of Hungary, the first King of Hungary (c. 975–1038), whose “incorruptible” right hand is housed in the reliquary.

Picture caption: St Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest by Robbie Cheadle

The church is exactly ninety six meters tall and is tied with the Hungarian Parliament Building as the tallest buildings in Budapest. The deliberate height was intended to symbolise the balance between church and state.

Picture caption: Beautiful front door of the Basilica by Robbie Cheadle
Picture caption: One of the elaborate inside doors by Robbie Cheadle

Despite its name, the church is actually classified architecturally as a cathedral and not a basilica. It features a Greek cross floor plan.

Picture caption: Another gorgeous inside door by Robbie Cheadle

An immense building, the church can hold up to 8,500 people at once. The Great Bell of St Stephen’s is housed in the south tower and weighs 9,250 kilograms making it the largest bell in Hungary.

Picture caption: The reliquary or shrine containing St Stephen’s right hand by Robbie Cheadle

The gallery below features photographs from inside the church by Robbie Cheadle.

About Robbie Cheadle

Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author photograph

South African author, photographer, and artist, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, written and illustrated four poetry books and written and illustrated one celebration of cake and fondant art book with recipes. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

Social Media Links

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyFo_OJLPqFa9ZhHnCfHUA
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle
TSL Publications: https://tslbooks.uk/product-tag/robbie-cheadle/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robbie-Cheadle/author/B01N9J62GQ
Unsplash profile: https://unsplash.com/@r_cheadle

Reacciones en fediverso

58 respuestas a «Different Kinds of Art: St Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest»

  1. Avatar de Cindy Georgakas

    What a beautiful cathedral with such intricate detail Robbie! Thanks for
    Sharing. I wonder what the most amount of people that have actually been on there at one time? ❤️

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Hi Cindy, I don’t know but it is very big and could hold a lot of people. It’s very beautiful with the more Middle Eastern styled decor than London or France.

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      1. Avatar de Cindy Georgakas

        So gorgeous! More than needed for sure but the more the merrier! ❣️

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  2. Avatar de crazy4yarn2
    crazy4yarn2

    Awe-inspiring! It must make people feel insignificant to the glory of God.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Hi Nolcha, it is an inspirational building. The side is amazing.

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  3. Avatar de Liz Gauffreau

    I symmetrical the front facade is.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Yes, it is very impressive. I loved the arched internal doorways 💗

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  4. Avatar de marianbeaman6811bce9e7
    marianbeaman6811bce9e7

    It’s so very hot where I live. I imagine this magnificent cathedral may be cool even on warm days because of the the tall spaces. Thanks for the tour!

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Hi Marian, this year seems exceptionally hot in the northern hemisphere. We are already well into spring and it’s not even August yet. It was cool inside when I visited in September 2021.

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  5. Avatar de Resa

    This is a gorgeous work of architecture.

    Thank you, Robbie, for all the wonderful shots and information about the basilica. ꧁💙꧂

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      It is an incredible building, Resa. A work of art 🌸💓

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      1. Avatar de Resa

        YES! 🌸💓

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      2. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

        💖

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  6. Avatar de Jim Borden

    Buda and Pest are high on my list of places I want to visit – and now I have a specific place to visit! The church is beautiful.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Hi Jim, this is a beautiful cathedral. I posted about the Great Synagogue last month and that was also amazing.

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      1. Avatar de Jim Borden

        another reason to visit!

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  7. Avatar de Rebecca Budd

    What a wonderful collection of photographs, Robbie!! I can only imagine all the stories that are embedded within these walls!

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  8. Avatar de Darlene

    A gorgeous building.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Thank you, Darlene

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  9. Avatar de shehannemoore

    Thank you for the tour Robbie. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      I am very happy to know that, Shey. I thought this was a great adventure.

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  10. Avatar de Laura Lyndhurst
    Laura Lyndhurst

    A beautiful building, Robbie. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      My pleasure, Laura. It was a wonderful place to visit.

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  11. Avatar de T. W. Dittmer

    It’s nice to see these great pictures of St

    Stephen’s Basilica, Robbie!

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures, Tim. A beautiful building.

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      1. Avatar de T. W. Dittmer

        😍

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  12. Avatar de Brenda's Thoughts

    What a beautiful cathedral. You captured it so well!

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Thank you, Brenda. I loved this visit and learned a lot about the cathedral’s history.

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  13. Avatar de derrickjknight

    A fine tour, Robbie

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      It really was, Derrick

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  14. Avatar de beetleypete

    I have never been to Hungary, but I would definitely have gone to look at that impressive cathedral if I had. Shared on Twitter, Robbie.

    Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      It is an iconic building. Pete. Thanks for sharing.

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  15. Avatar de acflory

    Fabulous pics, Robbie, and I have to thank you for something else as well: I knew /of/ St Istvan’s Cathedral but I never visited it while I was in Hungary, so this is all new to me…and very welcome.

    Btw, did you visit the Fisher’s Bastion while you were there? That is one of my favourite places in Budapest. Oh and the castle.

    Half my family lived in Pest and the other half in Buda, and the two halves are very different, although beautiful in their own ways.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Hi Meeks, we did tour both sides of the river and both were fascinating. We stayed on the opposite side from the castle. I can’t remember if it was Buda or Pest 😁. The castle was closed when we visited by we saw a lot of places. I have more posts to share 💞

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      1. Avatar de acflory

        The castle is on the Buda sided as that’s Nob’s Hill. Pest is the industrial side where the workers live. Buda is beautiful, but I liked the vibrancy of the Pest side. Did you see the bullet holes in the stonework, esp. in Pest? Those are from the Revolution of 1956. Living history. 🙂

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      2. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

        Yes, we saw the bullet holes. We saw a lot including the Great synagogue and the Shoes on the Danube.

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      3. Avatar de acflory

        I visited twice after we came to Australia, once when I was 20 and again when I was 30. The changes in those 10 years were marked. Sadly most of my relatives have died now and I’ve lost contact with their kids and grandkids. I still love the place though. 🙂

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      4. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

        It’s the same with me and the UK. When my aunts and uncles pass I’ll loss contact with my cousins and their families too. It’s how life goes.

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      5. Avatar de acflory

        Yes, of course, that’s where you Mum is from. I’d forgotten. Does the UK feel like home to you, at all?
        I’m proud of my Hungarian heritage and loved my aunts and uncles, but it always felt like a foreign country whose language I just happened to speak. For me, home is Australia and always has been.

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      6. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

        I was born in the UK and mom and I came to SA together where she me and married my (step) dad. We had a very English home and we never had domestic help so I had little contact with indigenous African people when I grew up. I attended an English speaking convent so was very sheltered. Because of this I could transition fairly easily into English lifestyles. It would be different for my husband and sons.

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      7. Avatar de acflory

        Aaaah, I kind of know what your upbringing was like because my parents insisted that we only speak Hungarian at home – so I wouldn’t forget. And they didn’t like the ‘decadent’ Aussie culture that much either, but I fell in love with the actual country itself. I think you did too. 🙂

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      8. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

        Yes, I did.

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  16. Avatar de Jennie

    Really beautiful!

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Thank you 🙏🌸

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      1. Avatar de Jennie

        You’re welcome, Robbie.

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      2. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

        💓

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  17. Avatar de Meelosmom

    I love doors!

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      💜

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  18. Avatar de Charles
    Charles

    Thank you for this beautiful and wonderful post, Robbie!

    Me gusta

    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      My pleasure, Charles

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  19. Avatar de thomasstigwikman

    That is a very beautiful church. I have to admit I’ve never been to Budapest. The photos are great.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Thank you, Thomas. This is a gorgeous church.

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  20. Avatar de dgkaye

    Wow, what a beautiful church. And that it holds 8500 people is unreal. Thanks for the mini tour Robbie. I Just love European architecture. 💜

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      My pleasure, Debby. I like European architecture too. It’s so old and beautiful.

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      1. Avatar de dgkaye

        Absolutely. 🥰

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      2. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

        ⭐️💫

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  21. Avatar de Teri Polen

    What a stunning cathedral! I can’t imagine how large it is to hold 8500 people. Thanks for sharing the photos, Robbie.

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    1. Avatar de robertawrites235681907

      Hi Teri, it was wonderful to see. The artwork inside is magnificent.

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