Evangelical Cathedral
Work on this late-Gothic church began in 1320, and continued for 200 years. Gray-stone walls with curved vaulting form the interior stark; at the back of the church, the 6,000-pipe organ is the biggest in the country. The north wall of the nave is studded with stone epitaphs, including that of Prince Mihnea the Bad (Voda cel Rau), the son of Vlad the Impaler, who was assassinated on the church square in 1510 just after attending a service here. Also don't miss the fantastic 9m (30-ft.) fresco in the choir; known as the "Rosenauer Painting," it is a superb crucifixion scene rendered in 1445; above this, note the Hungarian royal insignia featuring a lion and Bohemian vulture; below the fresco are the first Christian Hungarian kings (Ludovic with an ax and Stephen with scepter). Rising to a height of 73m (239 ft.), the bell tower was built as part of the city's defense system when a pair of guards would keep watch and use flags to signal the arrival of enemy armies. You can join a tower tour, offered by a Kultours guide who'll be hanging around the entrance (in summer, daily 9am-7pm; L3/$1.30/80p), climbing a steep, thrilling 192 steps to get to the top, but it's worth it for the views.
Work on this late-Gothic church began in 1320, and continued for 200 years. Gray-stone walls with curved vaulting form the interior stark; at the back of the church, the 6,000-pipe organ is the biggest in the country. The north wall of the nave is studded with stone epitaphs, including that of Prince Mihnea the Bad (Voda cel Rau), the son of Vlad the Impaler, who was assassinated on the church square in 1510 just after attending a service here. Also don't miss the fantastic 9m (30-ft.) fresco in the choir; known as the "Rosenauer Painting," it is a superb crucifixion scene rendered in 1445; above this, note the Hungarian royal insignia featuring a lion and Bohemian vulture; below the fresco are the first Christian Hungarian kings (Ludovic with an ax and Stephen with scepter). Rising to a height of 73m (239 ft.), the bell tower was built as part of the city's defense system when a pair of guards would keep watch and use flags to signal the arrival of enemy armies. You can join a tower tour, offered by a Kultours guide who'll be hanging around the entrance (in summer, daily 9am-7pm; L3/$1.30/80p), climbing a steep, thrilling 192 steps to get to the top, but it's worth it for the views.
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