St. Elizabeth's Basilica () is a Roman Catholic basilica in Sárospatak, Hungary. It is named in honour of Elizabeth, the princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia. The relics of Elizabeth are kept here, and the St. Elizabeth Trail (Szent Erzsébet Út) pilgrimage route to Košice begins here. It is a significant historical landmark within the Tokaj wine region UNESCO World Heritage site.
History According to tradition, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary was born in Sárospatak in 1207 and was baptized in a small round church next to the royal manor house.
The current gothic hall church was completed in 1492. During the Turkish occupation the town's castle was fortified with a defensive wall, the northern wall of the church also became part of this wall.
In 1737 a massive fire destroyed the city. The gothic vault, which was three meters higher than the current one, collapsed, and the gothic interior was also destroyed by the fire. It was unused for 50 years. Parts of the church, such as the roof, were rebuilt in Baroque style. It received its Baroque high altar from the Carmelite Monastery of Buda also this time.
On November 18, 2007, the Papal Nuncio to the Vatican, Juliusz Janus elevated the church to the rank of Basilica Minor.
Gallery
See also
Roman Catholicism in Hungary Elizabeth of Hungary Sárospatak
References
External links
Official website of the St. Elizabeth's Basilica in Hungarian Official Facebook page of the St. Elizabeth's Basilica