Oh what things we shall see today, but first, Moscow Square! One of the happening places in Budapest, I just thought I'd add that in...
Making the walk up to the Buda Castle area we find this 'house'....WOW! How 'weirdo' almost Klingon-y, but they get extra credit for going out on a limb in my book!
Peek-a-boo! I see you!
So we've arrived at...I guess you could call it the 'Buda Castle complex' and looks SO GERMAN it's not even funny! They truly rule this place for a long time...looking out over their Hungarian servants....hmm...
But still cool, eh?
I kind of liked being up there...had such an 'old' feeling to it in some ways....
Here we have St. Matthias Church. According to church tradition, it was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015. The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church of medieval Buda and the sixth largest church of medieval Hungarian Kingdom.
The church reflecting in the windows of the Hilton NEXT DOOR! SERIOUSLY?! I don't think Hilton needs to be that close to an historical site....
But still makes for a cool pic, haaha!
This complex is right behind the church and it is called Fishermen's Bastion. The Bastion is is a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill in Budapest, around Matthias Church. It was designed and built between 1895 and 1902 on the plans of Frigyes Schulek. Between 1947–48, the son of Frigyes Schulek, János Schulek, conducted the other restoration project after its near destruction during World War II. From the towers and the terrace a panoramic view exists of Duna, Margaret Island, Pest to the east and the Gellért Hill. Its seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 896. The Bastion takes its name from the guild of fishermen that was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls in the Middle Ages. It is a viewing terrace, with many stairs and walking paths.
What a view! Just wish the weather had been better...oh well...it was only the BEGINNING OF JUNE!! LOL!
Love the panorama!
Fisherman's Bastion, complete with statue of King St. Steven, first king of Hungary....
Inside the Church. Officially named as the Church of Our Lady, it has been popularly named after king Matthias, who ordered the transformation of its original southern tower. In many respects, the 700 year history of the church serves as a symbol (or perhaps a reminder for Hungarians) of the city's rich, yet often tragic history. Not only was the church the scene of several coronations, including that of Charles IV in 1916 (the last Habsburg king), it was also the site for King Matthias' two weddings (the first to Catherine of Podiebrad and, after her death, to Beatrice of Aragon).
The tower of the church.The darkest period in the church's history was the century and a half of Turkish occupation. The vast majority of its ecclesiastical treasures were shipped to Pressburg (present day Bratislava) and following the capture of Buda in 1541 the church became the city's main mosque. To add insult to injury, ornate frescoes that previously adorned the walls of the building were whitewashed and interior furnishings stripped out.
The church was also a place of the so called Mary-wonder. In 1686 during the siege of Buda by the Holy League a wall of the church collapsed due to cannonfire. It turned out 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 collapsed and the city fell on the same day.
Stained glass....
The walls were so....'decorative'....surprising, but then maybe that is 'Hungarian'....
I just thought this whole 'window' looked like an eye...kind of cool...
So crazy that this was a mosque! But then...makes sense....we've seen that over and over again, especially in Spain...
The Virgin has an exact copy of the Holy Crown of Hungary over her head....
And the tiles on the roof make me think of St. Stephan's in Vienna...I wonder who gave whom the idea....
One more look from the Fisherman's Bastion....
What 'funny' towers....I honestly thought the Turks built them, but I guess that is another 'Hungarian' architectural type....maybe....
Goodbye St. Stephen! And thanks for letting us visit you here and the Church!
Now, onwards towards Buda Castle!
