Mária Magdolna-templom, Budapest

The Mária Magdolna Church is now an imposing surviving tower with fragments of the former church gathered around it. The building began in the 13th century as a Gothic church, and the tower is all that remains of the church itself. The low masonry outlines in the surrounding ruin garden trace the former walls, while a reconstructed Gothic sanctuary window conveys the scale of the lost interior.

A Baroque helmet was placed on the restored Gothic tower, creating a striking contrast between its medieval structure and later appearance. The tower also contains a carillon of 24 bells. This was once the church serving the Hungarian population of the castle, and in 1792 it hosted the coronation of Francis I. Today, the tower, wall remains, and sanctuary window make the vanished church’s huge dimensions tangible.