Horváth M. Ferenc (szerk.): Vác The heart of the Danube Bend. A historical guide for residents and globetrotters (Vác, 2009)

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Count István Koháry's portrait and the Franciscan Church of Vác founded by him

The bulk of the finances needed was donated by Count István Koháry,

Lord Chief Justice. Koháry obtained a large fortune by having remained loyal to the Habsburgs during the War of Independence of Ferenc Rákóczi II and, as a reward, he acquired the estates of several rebellious aristocrats. He spent most of his income on building churches and supporting the Roman Catholic Church. In the Franciscan church of Vác there is a portrait of him with the building complex in the background.

The count wanted to exert some influence on the institutions that he supported. That is why the Franciscan church housed the pictures of not only the saints of their order but also some noted representatives of the Society of Jesus, commemorating Koháry's Jesuit teach-xcuursmsiMi u uiisriissmi bowim bm ti

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The Baroque high altar

ers. The donor was also known as a poet; one of his poems is inscribed in Latin inside the altar.

It is the biggest wooden altar in Hungary, a carved and painted Baroque construction consisting of several tiers and ornaments. Unfortunately,

The other picture of the high altar: St Stephen and Prince Emery

we do not know who its makers were. The subject of the big altar piece is the martyrdom of Stephen (István) Protomartyr, which we could find strange had we not known the above facts. In generalbuilding of the high altar usually relates to the official name of the church. Here we can see the patron saint of the donor. The statues

The main altar-piece: the stoning of Stephen Protomartyr