Saint John the Baptist Catholic Parish Church (Church Hill)

2000 Szentendre, Templomdomb

The Roman Catholic Parish Church consecrated to Saint Andrew is the oldest and one of the most important architectural monuments in Szentendre. Its history goes back to the 13th century. According to historical charters, the church was destroyed by the Johannite knights of Esztergom in 1294 but some years later it was rebuilt in Gothic style. The church was almost totally ruined again during the Ottoman occupation and was only reconstructed in the early 18th century (with the sponsorship of the prominent Zichy family) for Catholic Dalmatians who lived or came to live in the town. This was when the church acquired its final Baroque form.

At the edge of the south-western buttress there is a sundial carved from a single stone in the 1300s. It is a unique relic of the history of astronomy in Hungary. The interior of the single-nave church is from the 18th century. The frescos on the walls of the sanctuary were painted by members of the Szentendre Artist Colony between 1933 and 1938. These paintings are especially interesting because they show biblical scenes against a background of different parts of Szentendre.

The church is open all year round but no visits are allowed during masses.