St. Martin’s Dome

St. Martin’s Dome

The three-nave Gothic church was built in the place of the original Romanesque church. Building was started at the beginning of the 14th century and it was consecrated in 1452. The dimensions of the church are also remarkable: length 69.37 m, width 22,85 m, height 16.02 m. Several chapels were added to the church – Gothic chapel of St. Sophia, widow after the Czech King Wenceslas IV, chapel of St. Anna and baroque chapel of St. John the Almoner.

The tower of the church was constructed simultaneously with 3 naves of the church, while it was an integral part of city walls serving to defend the town. Its height is 85 m and there is a gilded pillow of dimensions 2 m x 2 m on the top, while a 1 m high copy of the Hungarian royal crown weighing 300 kg is placed atop this. In the 16th century, the Dome witnessed the coronation of Hungarian Kings. During 1563 – 1830, 11 Hungarian Kings and eight royal wives were crowned here. Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis was played for the first time in this church.