Basilica

Saint Stephen established the Győr Episcopate in the first decade of his reign (1000-1009). The foundation of the Győr Basilica was also laid down during his time. At the end of the XI. century the sources already write about a three-nave church with raised sanctuary. The first towers were built during bishop Omodé (1257-1267). Bishop János Héderváry built a gothic chapel at the end of the XIV. century on the southern part of the church, where now you can find the herm of Saint Ladislaus and the memorial tomb of bishop Vilmos Apor. One tower of the church collapsed in a fire after the Mohács battle (1526), and later - around 1580 - an explosion pulled down also the other. The restoration of the church is associated with the name of bishop György Draskovich (1635-1650). He entrusted the famed Italian architect Giovanni Battista Rava with the planning. The tower and the sacristy were built already under bishop György Széchenyi (1659-1681). The baroque renewal of the church interior was made under bishop Ferenc Zichy (1743-1783). The plans were made by Menyhért Hefele, while the frescoes and a part of the altar-pieces were painted by Franz Anton Maulbertsch and his pupils. Some of the altar buildings and statues were made in the stone-carving workshop of J. Gotschall in Wien. The Blessed Virgin-picture decorating the altar of the northern side nave made the church one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in Hungary. For the fortification of the tower, Jakab Handler built a neo-classic facade on the western side in 1823. At the beginning of our century it was given basilica-type roof and was equipped with neo-Romanesque details on the basis of the plans by Sándor Aigner and Károly Csányi. The Basilica was restored between 1968 and 1972.