The blue church in Bratislava, dedicated to Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and built in Art Nouveau style, looks like something out of a fairy tale. It will not be difficult to recognize it, with its external facades of a cartoon blue! Its facade is blue, its mosaics are blue, its tiles are blue. Everything, including the roof, is blue. And not only the exterior but also its interior is painted in a pale shade of blue. No wonder it is always surrounded by tourists intent on taking pictures.
The church is dedicated to Elizabeth of Hungary, who grew up in Bratislava Castle.
The church, with a single nave and soft lines with rounded corners, was designed a few years earlier, as the whole adjacent complex, by Odon (Edmund) Lechner, Budapest architect known by the nickname of "Hungarian Gaudi", who was inspired, as well as the old Magyar style, to certain Turkish and oriental influences. The interior is dominated by shades of blue, white, gold and beige, even the austere wooden pews for the faithful and all the decorations of leaves and stylized flowers. The Elizabethan rose motif also recurs on the walls and ceiling, and the image of the saint is taken up in the altarpiece on the high altar.
The church, which stands soaring, is flanked by a cylindrical bell tower over 36 metres high. It is a real architectural jewel of the early 20th century.
The church is surrounded by tall green trees and footpaths. It is open very rarely so be sure to check the opening hours if you don’t want to miss it.
