A Bakócz-kápolna és a Szent Adalbert székesegyház: Igazodás és igazítás
The Bakócz Chapel and the Cathedral of St. Adalbert: Alignment and Adjustment

Author(s): Endre Raffay
Subject(s): Museology & Heritage Studies, Architecture, History of Art
Published by: Pécsi Tudományegyetem Művészeti Kar Művészettörténet Tanszék
Keywords: Bakócz Chapel; Saint Adalbert Cathedral; Esztergom; Renaissance architecture; Porta Speciosa; red marble; architectural continuity; monument reconstruction; medieval cathedral; Hungarian art history
Summary/Abstract: The study examines the architectural relationship between the Bakócz Chapel and the medieval Cathedral of Saint Adalbert in Esztergom. The author revisits Horler Miklós’s interpretation of the chapel as a carefully integrated Renaissance addition that harmonized with the existing Romanesque cathedral structure. The paper analyzes historical drawings, reconstruction images, and written descriptions to reconstruct the visual and spatial experience of the cathedral before its destruction. Special attention is given to the famous Porta Speciosa and the role of red marble decoration in creating visual continuity between the medieval cathedral and the Renaissance chapel. The study argues that the extensive use of red marble was not merely decorative but carried symbolic and representational meanings connected to continuity, prestige, and ecclesiastical authority. Raffay also investigates the chronology and construction techniques of the chapel, especially the structural role of the marble elements within the building. By comparing Esztergom with examples from Modena, Florence, and Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the article places the chapel within a broader European architectural context. The author discusses how medieval and Renaissance builders adapted existing structures, reused earlier materials, and balanced innovation with respect for inherited sacred spaces. The study further highlights the importance of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century documentation, including drawings by Lux Géza and Packh János, for understanding the lost architectural environment of the cathedral. Overall, the article presents the Bakócz Chapel as a complex monument in which adaptation, continuity, visual harmony, and architectural transformation were deeply interconnected.

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