### Székesfehérvár - royal basilica, St Stephen's tomb
the royal basilica of Székesfehérvár According to the 14th-century Illustrated Chronicle St Stephen founded the church of the Fehérvár Virgin Mary prepostery from the loot of the 1003 Transylvanian and 1018 Balkan campaigns. He also gave gifts to this church. A contemporary chasuble, later used as a coronation cloak, which was presented to the Hungarian church by the royal couple: ECCLESIAE SANCTAE MARIAE SITAE IN CIVITATE ALBA, also mentioned, this church. It is sure that the construction works of the basilica - built in Roman style - were not completed by 1038, when the saint king died. The earliest part of the building is a 64 meter long, 37.5 meter wide church with three naves, arranged like a basilica. The royal throne, the crown jewels and the Hungarian royal charters were kept here. Coronations and royal weddings were also held here. Prince Emeric, who died in 1031, then in 1038 King Stephen was also buried here. From among the rulers of the Árpád dynasty Coloman († 1116), Béla II († 1141), Géza II († 1162), Ladislaus II († 1163), Stephen IV († 1165), Béla III († 1196) and Ladislaus III ( 1205) were also buried here. Later, till the age of King Matthias, it was rebuilt and enlarged many times. This is proved by the Gothic ground-plan fragments, stone fragments and charters relating to the construction works. Altogether 26 side chapels and altars are known. The basilica stood in the axis of the building complex of the prepostery surrounded by a wall. To the north of it was the palace of the prepostery, the corridor along its southern wall was the place where the chapter body worked and lived. The school of the prepostery and the St Antal guest house may have stood here, too. SGY St Stephen's tomb (sarcophagus) Bishop Hartvic wrote that St Stephen was brought to Fehérvár after his death, where he was buried in the cathedral, which was founded by himself. Although its construction was not completed at that time, it was consecrated. The Roman sarcophagus made of white limestone, which was kept at Székesfehérvár, was recarved in 1038 or around 1083 to make a worthy tombstone for St Stephen. According to some opinions, however, the tombstone might have belonged to Chief prince Géza or Prince Emeric. On the front of the sarcophagus there is a relief: an angel rises a baby - symbolising the soul of the dead - to Heaven. On one side there are two rosettas in a braided frame, and in the middle, among the columns there is a cherub. One the other side a braided rosetta incorporates the cherub and there are trees of life on the sides. SGY