“A refuge for those recovering from plague” is what they called the Rozália-kápolna. It stands as a testament to faith and resilience. This Budapest chapel has a rich history. It has been shaped by epidemics, wars and renewals.
Let’s delve into the story of the Szent Rókus-kápolna. It is also known as the Rozália-kápolna. Its story begins long before its current baroque facade. In the 11th century a cemetery chapel stood here. It was the burial ground for the people of Pest.
The great plague of 1710 ravaged Pest. In response, the city erected a chapel. It was dedicated to Saint Rókus. The chapel was consecrated on September 4, 1711. It became the first chapel outside Pest’s city walls.
As another major epidemic loomed in 1739 to 1740 the city council decided to build a hospital. This hospital was outside the city walls. It was intended as a quarantine facility. The hospital remained even after the plague subsided. It expanded over the years. The chapel also underwent expansion alongside the hospital. The final design of the facade and bell tower happened in 1765.
Behind the chapel’s sanctuary, a hermit named András lived in a barrack. He was the last hermit of Pest. András died in 1806. The Pesti Polgári Köz Ispotály opened in 1798. Today it still functions as Szent Rókus Hospital. It is one of Europe’s oldest healthcare institutions. Since 2001 it has been a part of the Hungarian Heritage.
In 1907, the facade decorations were removed. There was a plan to expand the hospital and demolish the chapel. The earlier baroque statues depicted saints who protected against the plague. These included Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, Saint Barbara, Saint Rosalia, Saint John of Nepomuk, Saint Roch, Saint Sebastian and Saint Francis Xavier.
However, the construction did not happen. New statues were commissioned in 1908 to 1909. Robert Lewisch created them in Munich style. These included the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Saint Roch, Saint Joseph, Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Rosalia and Saint Vincent de Paul.
During the siege of Budapest in January 1945 bombs damaged the chapel. Its baroque vaults collapsed. During the restoration, they discovered the sanctuary was originally a cella trichora. It was an early Christian prayer site shaped like a three-leaf clover. Today, it is visible as a crypt designed by Kálmán Lux.
The chapel suffered damage again during the suppression of the 1956 revolution. The tower and facade needed rebuilding. Ferenc Callmeyer restored the facade statues. But he did not use the previous saints.
In 2002, the Józsefváros Municipality renovated the statues. These depict Saint Roch, an unknown bishop identified as Saint Gellért, Saint Stephen, an unknown bishop identified as Saint Adalbert, Saint Ladislaus, Saint Elizabeth, Saint Rosalia of Palermo, Saint Margaret and Saint Imre. Several statues were created around 1957 by sculptor Sándor Ambrózy. Mihály Dabóczi created the Saint Margaret statue. Árpád Turcsányi created Saint Ladislaus in 1957.
Inside the sanctuary, you can see the híméskő works of art by Eszter Mattioni from 1963. She also created the altar and floor mosaics in the crypt.
The exterior of the chapel was renovated in 2002. An urn cemetery has been there since 2006.
In front of the chapel stands the Immaculata statue since 1867. Miklós Lengyel gifted it to Pest. It was removed in 1949 but re-erected in 1991. It was moved slightly from its original location.
The chapel’s feast day is on August 16.
The Szent Rókus-kápolna stands as a symbol. It represents resilience, faith and art. Its walls echo with centuries of history. The chapel is a reminder of Budapest’s enduring spirit.