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Built on the site of the first cathedral in Hungary, where Vajk was crowned as King Stephen by a papal envoy on Christmas Day, 1000 AD, Esztergom's Neoclassical basilica (daily 7am-6pm; free) is the largest in the country, measuring 118m in length and 40m in width, and capped by a dome 100m high. Representing a thousand years of faith and statehood, it was begun by Pal Kuhneland and Janos Packh in 1822, and finally completed by Jozsef Hild in 1869, thirteen years after its consecration, once the dome was in place. Liszt's Gran Mass was composed for the occasion ( Gran being the German name for Esztergom). In 1991, the church hosted two events symbolizing its triumph over Communism: the reburial of the exiled Cardinal Mindszenty and the first papal visit to Hungary. The exterior of the basilica is unadorned except for the primates' coats of arms flanking the great bronze doors that are only used on special occasions. Its nave is on a massive scale, clad in marble, gilding and mosaics. To the left of the entrance is the lavish red and white marble Bakocz Chapel , whose Florentine altar was salvaged by Archbishop Tamas Bakocz from the original church. The basilica's main altarpiece was painted by the Venetian Michelangelo Grigoletti, based on Titian's Assumption in the Frari Church in Venice. To the right lies the treasury ( kincstar ; daily: March-Oct 9am-4.30pm; Nov & Dec 10am-3.30pm; 250Ft), an overpowering collection of bejewelled croziers and chalices and kitsch papal souvenirs. Towards the nave are two stairways, the first leading to a crypt ( krypta ; daily 9am-5pm; 50Ft), which is like a set from a Dracula film, with seventeen-metre thick walls to support the enormous weight of the basilica, and giant stone women flanking the stairway down to gloomy vaults full of entombed prelates. Though several other mausolea look more arresting, it is the tomb of Cardinal Mindszenty that transfixes Hungarians. The other stairway ascends for over three hundred steps to the stiflingly hot interior of the cupola ( kupola ; May-Oct daily 9am-5pm; 100Ft), though any discomfort is forgotten the moment you step outside and see the magnificent view of Esztergom, with the Slovak town of Sturovo across the water.
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