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At the heart of the Varhegy, Szentharomsag ter's most prominent feature is the neo-Gothic Matyas Church ( Matyas templom ; Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; 200Ft, crypt and treasures 200Ft, audioguide 200Ft), whose diamond-patterned roofs and toothy spires are wildly asymmetrical but nevertheless coherent in form. Officially dedicated to Our Lady, but popularly named after "Good King Matyas", the building is a late nineteenth-century re-creation by architect Frigyes Schulek, grafted onto those portions of the original thirteenth-century church that survived the siege of 1686. The frescoes and altars had been whitewashed over or removed when the Turks turned it into a mosque. Ravaged yet again in World War II, the church was laboriously restored by a Communist regime keen to show its patriotic credentials, and the Changes saw the sanctity of this "ancient national shrine of the Hungarian people" reaffirmed - which means that visitors are expected to be properly dressed and respectfully behaved. Entering the church through its twin-spired Mary Portal , the richness of the interior is overwhelming. Painted leaves and geometric motifs run up columns and under vaulting, while shafts of light fall through rose windows onto gilded altars and statues with stunning effect. Most of the frescoes were executed by Karoly Lotz or Bertalan Szekely, the foremost historical painters of the day. The coat of arms of King Matyas can be seen on the wall to your left, just inside; his family name, Corvinus, comes from the raven ( corvus in Latin) that appeared on his heraldry and on every volume in the famous Corvin Library. Around the corner to the left, beneath the south tower, is the Loreto Chapel , containing a Baroque Madonna, while in the bay beneath the Bela Tower beyond the stairs you can see two medieval capitals, one carved with monsters fighting a dragon, the other with two bearded figures reading a book. The tower is named after Bela IV, who founded the church, rather than his predecessor in the second gated chapel along, who shares a double sarcophagus with Anne of Chatillon. Originally located in the old capital, Szekesfehervar, the tomb of Bela III and his queen was moved here after its discovery in 1848. Although Hungary's medieval kings were crowned at Szekesfehervar, it was customary to make a prior appearance in Buda - hence yet another sobriquet, the "Coronation Church". By paying extra to visit the crypt you can see the red-marble tombstone of a nameless Arpad prince, and a small collection of ecclesiastical treasures and relics, including the right foot of St Janos. Otherwise, climb a spiral staircase to the Royal Oratory overlooking the stained-glass windows and embossed vaulting of the nave; here votive figures and vestments presage a replica of the Coronation Regalia , whose attached exhibition is more informative about the provenance of St Stephen's Crown than that accompanying the originals, on display in Parliament. To really do the church justice, attend a Mass (daily 7am, 8.30am & 6pm, plus 10am & noon on Sundays and public holidays) in Latin or Hungarian (from noon onwards), with a choir and organ music - or relish the acoustics at one of the many concerts performed during the festival seasons or organ recitals held throughout the year; details appear in listings magazines and on the church's own website www.matyas-templom.hu .
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