Why visit / Interesting facts:
- Remarkable cave church
- Out of the ordinary church interior
Time required: 30 minutes
Phone: +36-1-385-1529
Opening hours:
| Time period | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Monday - Saturday: | 9:30am - 4:30pm |
| Monday - Saturday: | 6pm - 7.30pm |
| Sundays: | Closed for visitors |
Admission:
| Ticket type | Charge |
|---|---|
| General: | Free |
Public transport:
- Tram Line 47: Gellért tér stop
- Tram Line 18: Gellért tér stop
Address: 1114 Budapest, Szent Gellért rakpart 1.
Photos: (see more photos)
Photo: spinneyhead
Things you need to know:
- Pauline monks built this remarkable church inside Gellért Hill after a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. The church was consecrated in 1926
- During World War II it functioned as a military hospital for the Nazi army
- In an attempt to curb the power of the Catholic Church the secret police raided the church in 1951. The prior was murdered; the monks were imprisoned
- After the raid the church was sealed. After the fall of communism the monks regained the temple and reopened it in 1989
- They continue to use it for religious functions
- The cave is also called St. Ivan's Cave after a hermit who had lived here and healed the sick with the area's thermal water. The same water supplies now the Gellért Bath
What to do there:
- Follow the short path from opposite the entrance to the Gellért Baths to get to the Cave Church
- Enter the cave and enjoy the unusual church interior
