Esztergom Basilica

Esztergom Basilica, the Cathedral of the Assumption and St Adalbert, stands on Castle Hill above the Danube in Hungary. The foundation stone was laid on 23 April 1822, the upper church was consecrated in 1856, and József Hild completed the building in 1869. It was designed by Pál Kühnel. The building is 118 m long and 49 m wide; the dome measures 71.5 m high and 33.5 m across inside, and the overall height is 100 m.

Highlights include the Bakócz Chapel of 1506/07 in red Süttő marble, which was taken apart into about 1,600 pieces in 1823 and rebuilt inside the new church, as well as the treasury (open since 1886) and the Egyptian-style crypt of 1831 containing the tomb of Cardinal Mindszenty. A long staircase leads up the dome to a panoramic view; counting from the crypt there are about 400 steps. According to the operator the basilica has been under renovation since 2018, and the latest report (as of April 2024) said work on the towers was still under way. As it is also an active church, check opening times and access in advance.