Szombathely Cathedral

Berzsenyi Daniel tér is the center of Szombathely as it was in Roman times. The forum of Savaria probably stood where the cathedral now stands. The cathedral, bishop's palace, former priests' seminary and Eölbey House - all works by Melchior Hefele - together with the square form an ensemble where the influence of Bishop Szily is still apparent (his monument stands in front of the cathedral). The rather uninspiring façade of the cathedral, which Hefele worked on from 1791 until his death in 1797 dominates the square; the building was completed in 1814. The tower roofs were later additions. Unlike the façade, a cross between Late Baroque and Classicism, the interior (including frescos by Maulbertsch), which was destroyed in the last war, was ornate Baroque. The altars were either reconstructed or restored; a picture by István Takács (1951) replaces the Maulbertsch painting in the high altar. The statues at the main altar and those of the façade (Moses, John the Baptist; the apostles Peter and Paul and allegorical figures) are by Philipp Prokop. The pulpit, still intact, was completed by Martin Rumpelmayer to a design by Hefele.