Kollányi Ágoston: Esztergom : Idegenforgalmi prospektus (1937)
in the hands of the Magyars. It is the birthplace of the great organizer of the Hungarian state: St. Stephen. Here stood his marvellous palace. The excavated and reconstructed Esztergom fortress was built under the reign of Béla 111. The town Esztergom chiefly thanks its development to the endeavours of the Prince Primates. In 1543 the fortress was conquered by the tur.ks and in 1683, it was regained by the united forces of John Sobiesky and Charles de Lorraine. It played the last part as a fortress in the Kurucz-warfare. For its further development Esztergom is indebted to the Prince Primates: Rudnay, Kopácsi, Scitovszky and Simor. Basilika. The Basilika ist the chief cathedral of Hungarian Catholicism and also the cathedral of the Prince Primate as the head of it. The cathedral was built by the Prince Primates Rudnay, Kopácsy, Scitovszky and Simor out of their own means and income. It was consecrated in 1856. Its length is 107 and it extends in breadth to 48 metreá, its height is 100 metres. The front columns hall is supported by eight corinthic columns of 22 metres height. In the columns hall you see the coat of arms of the 4 Prince Primates responsible for the erection of the cathedral. On both sides of the chief entrance there are the statues of Csanád Telekdy and Lewis the great. The side-wall is adorned by the statues of Dyonis Széchy and John Hunyadi. On the front facing the Danube there stand 3 greatly imposing statues or Georg Kiss (St. Stephen, St. Ladisaus and a statue allegorising religion. The main altar of the cathedral is the work of the Italian artisan Bonani. It is crowned by the biggest altar piece of the world (13 m. high and 6.5 m. in width), a creation of the Italian master Grigoletti. (The assumption of the Holy Virgin). The Fresco of the sacristy vault represents the Holy Trinity surrounded by a 9 chorus of angels, (the work of the Munich painter Lewis Morált). The four pillars supporting the cupola in the inner of the cathedral are adorned with frescos in mosaic imitation representing the four great fathers of the church. Among the altar pieces of the cupola’s cross-aisle „the death of Christ on the cross’ is one of the finest creations of Grigoletti. In the cupola-hall we see further the statues of Peter Pázmány and John Simor carved of carrara marble. The two side-chape'.s of the Basilika. When you enter left hand — you find the Bakács chapel. The chapel is built of red marble and is the only worthy representant of Hungarian Renaissance architecture untouched by the tooth of time. The altar piece which has survided the vandalism of the turks is also to-day kept in high honour as a miraculous image. Right hand there is the Chapel of the martyr St. Stephen. In this chapel you see the sepulchres of the 23 years old Primate Charles Ambrus and the Primate John Csernoch. The treasury of the Basilika contains the most excellent masterpieces of mediaeval goldsmith’s work. The most outstanding treasure is the famous calvary of King Mathew. The upper part of it is executed in gothic style. The enamel decoration of it is unequalled. Its lower part is Renaissance work. It is made of 5 kilogramm fine gold and embellished by 213 pearls, many diamonds and other jewellry. The other pieces of the treasury worth mentioning are: the „byzantine kiss-of-peace plate“, the. coronation-oath cross of fine gold and adorned by 4 mighty big saphirs and the coronation stole with pearls-trimming, the peace- crucifix of George Szelepcsényi, further a collection of stoles.' The excavated ancient Esztergom fortress. The excavations carried through in Hungary in the last years have revealed the finest masterpiece of mediaeval Hungarian architecture. The unearthed fortress is the palace of 37
