Buda Castle Buda Castle, Budapest
Matthias Church is one of the finest churches in Budapest and one of the most unique churches in Europe. Located atop the Buda Castle hill, it has been serving the citizens of Buda Castle Hill since 1015, its foundation by the first Hungarian king. Bored with churches? Not this time.
Full of surprises, mysteries, and treasures, the church has a breathtaking interior with colours inspired by orientalism and romantic historicism. Its mystically exotic atmosphere paired with its Neo-Gothic features differentiates it from any other church. If you love classical music, do not miss out on the beautiful concerts in Matthias Church.
Matthias Church on the Castle Hill
Matthias Church is unlike many of the typical churches dating back to the Middle Ages. Be prepared to be surprised for its off the beaten track inner beauty.
The church was used as a coronation church by Hungarian kings for centuries, also a mosque for over 150 years by the Ottoman Turks, once owned by Franciscans, Jesuits, now a thriving Catholic church with holy masses, concerts, plenty of weddings, thousands of tourists. The graceful architecture and stunningly rich, all embracing wall paintings of the majestic building will leave you speechless.
While the outside of Matthias Church offers the historical beauty of traditional Gothic churches with delicate turrets, the coloured tile roofs already give away that this church is not following the usual recipe: entering inside the church you will experience one of the most welcoming combinations of warm lights, shadows and colours with orange, brown, golden hewed frescos reaching from floor to ceiling, beautiful stain glass windows, far reaching arches, century old wooden pews, medieval remnants.
Opening Hours
(Subject to Church Events)
Mon-Fri: 9 am – 5 pm
Sat: 9 am – 12 pm (Midday)
Sun: 1 – 5pm
Liturgies / Weddings have priority, and will affect regular Opening Hours.
Christmas Opening Times & Masses
More about Matthias Church Christmas Mass Times and Services
December festive opening times in Matthias Church, inlcuding Dec 24 – Jan 5 holiday period. Matthias Church Buda Castle Christmas Opening Hours
Tickets
Adults: HUF 2,900
Students (with ID): HUF 2,300
Seniors (60+ with ID): HUF 2,300
Children (under 6): Free
Entry is free with Budapest Card 72h Plus
Address: 2 Szentharomsag Square Budapest 1014
History of Matthias Church
Matthias Church (officially called the Church of Our Lady, but all locals call it “Matyas Templom”) has quite the history and a story to tell.
According to historians a church called Church of Mary stood on the site of the current building founded by Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary in 1015.
The current Roman Catholic church was founded by King Bela IV. after the Mongol invaders left Hungary in 1242 in complete ruins, and King Bela IV decided to move the royal residence from the town of Esztergom in the Danube Bend, to the Buda Hills.
King Matthias the Fair
Instead of St Matthias, the name of the church refers to King Matthias Corvinus the Fair, who remodelled and expanded the building in Gothic style in the 15th century, adding the southern high tower, called Matthias bell tower. He also made the church one of the best wedding venues in Hungary. After all it was his favourite wedding place too. King Matthias was the son of legendary John Hunyadi, the ingenious military opponent of the Ottoman Empire, the Governor of the Hungarian Kingdom, the Voivode of Transylvania. King Matthias’ father can also be credited for ringing the church bells all over Europe at midday every day. King Matthias was not less legendary than his father.
He was crowned the king of Hungary without a royal blood line. Then quickly became a mythical hero of many a Hungarian legends: he was said to be travelling around in disguise to get a true picture of the lives of his subjects, doing justice to the suppressed poor, and publicly shaming the powerful and arrogant.
The Turkish Occupation: Mosque from Church
In 1526 the Turks occupied Buda, ruined most of the churches, but left the Church of Our Lady erected and turned it into a mosque. Artefacts were taken away, ornate furnishings were destroyed, altars and paintings were covered with whitewashed brick walls.
When the Christian mercenary troops led by Charles V, Karl V. Leopold imperial generalissimo re-gained the Buda Castle from the Turks, not much survived the Ottoman years by the end of the siege of Buda in 1686. After the Turkish era, a new church was constructed on the remains in Baroque style.
Present Days of Matthias Church
In the early 19th century the church was finally restored in Neo-Gothic style by Frigyes Schulek between 1873 and 1896. Not only did he restore Matthias Church, but he also made it a beautiful gem on the Buda Castle hill, surrounded by the Fisherman’s Bastion viewing towers, the historical Holy Trinity Square, and the five star luxury Hilton Hotel.
Today Matthias Church is a lively religious and cultural focal point in Budapest, with several church events, weddings, beautiful classical music concerts, choir performances, Christmas masses, Easter celebrations and more. Needless to say, the events affect the opening times of the Church, and tourists will need to schedule their visits accordingly. Once a year, on Good Saturday (the Saturday before Easter), the church can only be visited by worshippers.
Matthias Church offers free admission to a range of visitors:
- Children under 6 years
- Worshippers
- Pilgrims
- Church institutions
- Handicapped visitors (to be accompanied by a carer)
Getting there
Bus: 16A Bus from Szell Kalman Square (M2 metro station) or 16 Bus from Deak Square (M1, M2, M3 metro lines).
Funicular: From Clark Adam Square to the Castle Hill, and an approx. 10-15 min walk from the Funicular.
Concerts in Matthias Church
Matthias Church is not only one of the top attractions and one of the most romantic places to see in Budapest but a perfect venue for classical concerts as well. Matthias Church Concerts are usually available every month throughout the year on affordable prices (tickets are from approx. €46). The concerts are provided by one of the most well-known ensembles in Hungary: the Hungarian Duna String Orchestra.
More concerts in Matthias Church Budapest on the link.
Tours in Matthias Church in the Buda Castle District
Book an Entry to Matthias Church with a Castle District walking tour to gain more insights into the history and secrets of this beautiful attraction. The walking tour includes a visit inside the Matthias Church, where you can see the Treasury, or walk up to the big Tower to get a better view. The tour ends with a coffee and cake in a nice cafe in the Buda Castle.
Last updated Dec 7th, 2024
We will be coming for a wedding, do women need to have their shoulders covered including the bride
Dear Michele,
Thank you for your question regarding the Church attire required.
Yes, Matthias Church in Budapest follows a modest dress code as it is an active Roman Catholic place of worship. Women, including wedding guests and the bride, are generally expected to cover their shoulders inside the church.
For weddings, the enforcement of this rule may depend on the specific arrangements with the church, but it is recommended that brides and guests bring a shawl, bolero, or light cover-up, especially if their dress has thin straps or is strapless. If you are unsure, you can check with the wedding organizers or the church directly for any specific requirements.
We are coming in October and would dearly love to attend Mass is St Matthias. Is this possible or do we need to purchase a ticket. I am aware that Mass is outside normal visitor hours.
Dear Marina,
Thank you for contacting us.
Yes, you can join the masses, we have sent you an email with further details.
Have a wonderful holiday in Budapest!
We too will be visiting the Buda district on October 12th and 13th, 2024 are there any English speaking masses at St. Matthias at that time? Thank you .
Dear Kathy,
Thank you for contacting us.
Unfortunately, English speaking masses are not available, there are silent masses in the morning and organ masses in the evenings.
Have a lovely autumn holiday in Budapest!
Greetings. We would like to visit Matthias church in April. We are pilgrims from Slovenia and our purpose of visit is religious. We are wondering if we also need to buy church tickets for a pilgrimage visit?
Hello! In what language is the tour available?
Thank you!
Hello Giovana,
Thank you for getting in touch with us.
The Castle District guided tour has the default language in English. In case you are enquiring for a future date we might be able to arrange a different guide for you. Kindly contact us on info [at] budacastlebudapest.com if you wish to get more details.
Have a nice time in Budapest!
Good day,
Is the church of Matthias open on Christmas Eve or the following day?
We are planning to visit Matthias Church on Dec 24 or Dec 25 but do not see tickets.
Please share information about how to book entry to the church.
Thank you.
Hello Susan,
Matthias Church, being an active church for the community, is only open as a church rather than a tourist attraction on December 24th and 25th. This means that you do not need to buy a ticket if you are planning to attend a mass or pay a visit to pray. However, tourists in Budapest who only wish to visit the church for secular purposes, curious about the architecture and history without connecting with God, will only be able to visit Matthias Church before the Christmas holidays, in the Advent period, until Dec 23, or on and from Dec 26, Boxing Day.
Please do enter the Church though if you have a religious purpose in mind as Matthias Church welcomes visitors from all over the world to pray and reconnect.
The ticket reservation calendar shows a message “The Church is closed on the selected day. Please select an other day!” But the reality is that it is meant to communicate that Matthias Church is closed to secular visitors and tourists on the festive days at Christmas time.
Thank you for your understanding. Wishing you a lovely Christmas holiday in Budapest.
More about Budapest Christmas events and things to do: http://budapestchristmas.com/