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St Stephen's Basilica ( Szent Istvan-bazilika ) took so long to build that Budapesters used to joke, "I'll pay you back when the basilica is finished". Work began in 1851 under the supervision of Jozsef Hild, continued after his death under Miklos Ybl, and was finally completed by Joseph Krauser in 1905. At the inaugural ceremony, Emperor Franz Josef was seen to glance anxiously at the dome, whose collapse during a storm in 1868 had naturally set progress back. At 96m it is exactly the same height as the dome of parliament - both allude to the putative date of the Magyars' arrival in Hungary. The Basilica is best visited when its interior is open for sightseeing (Mon-Sat 9am-noon, Sun 1-4pm), as its beauty lies in the carvings, frescoes and chapels, the variegated marble, gilded stucco and bronze mouldings, and the splendid organ above the doorway. In a chapel to the left at the back is the gnarled mummified hand of St Stephen , Hungary's holiest relic, whose custodian solicits coins to illuminate the casket holding the Szent Jobb (literally, "holy right"), which is paraded around the church on August 20, the anniversary of Stephen's death. Although the treasury (same hours; 200 Ft) is nothing special, don't miss the Panorama Tower (daily April-Oct 10am-6pm; 500Ft), offering a fabulous view of Pest from 65m; you can take a lift two thirds of the way up if you don't fancy climbing the 302 steps. While Stephen is revered as the founder and patron saint of Hungary, the pantheon of national heroes includes a niche for Endre Bajcsy-Zsilinszky (1866-1944). Originally a right-winger, he ended up an outspoken critic of Fascism, was arrested in parliament (a statue on Deak ter captures the moment) and shot as the Russians neared Sopron. Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut runs northwards to Nyugati ter , dominated by Nyugati Station , an elegant, iron-beamed terminal built in 1874-77 by the Eiffel Company of Paris. During the summer, "nostalgia" steam trains run out to the Rail Heritage Park and Vac. The Westend City Center , beside the station, is Budapest's largest mall, boasting four hundred outlets and an artificial waterfall three storeys high.
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