Belváros (Inner City) Church is the oldest building in Pest side of river in Budapest. It was built in 1046 as a grave of Bishop St. Gellért (c. 980-1046), a missionary from Italy who played an instrumental role in converting Hungary to Christianity. According to tradition, he was martyred by angry pagans who rolled him down a hill across the river, which was named Gellért Hill in his honor.
The first church constructed on this spot was a 12th-century Romanesque structure built inside the ruined walls of the Roman fortress of Contra-Aquincum. In the early 14th century, after destroyed by Mongols, this church was replaced by a Gothic church which still stands today. It has been frequently renovated and remodeled in accordance with contemporary fashions, so its medieval origins are not obvious at first glance.
During the reign of Ottoman Empire Belváros was used as a mosque and in 1702 it was returned as a Christian church by Jesuits. The Rococo style pulpit dates from 1808.
Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.