St. Stephen's Church, Galánta
Building, structure
The first church in Galánta was built in the 13th century. The patron saint of the church was King St. Stephen. It was rebuilt several times over the centuries, the last time in the middle of the 18th century. Despite this, at the end of the 1780s, the parish priest at the time - János Horváth - initiated the construction of a new church. The foundation stone of the new church was laid in a ceremonial setting on June 22, 1797. The event was attended by the clergy of the Szent-Szent-District, the general archbishopric vicar Ignác Violt, and the Galánta-born canon of Esztergom, archdeacon of Komárom. The ornate, blessed foundation stone of the new church building, an inscribed marble slab, was placed 8 feet deep in the excavated foundation by the elderly Ferenc Galgóczy. The homily was delivered by the parish priest from Zsigárd, József Bélik, and then the archbishopric vicar celebrated a festive mass at the planned location of the main altar. After the event, the guests were hosted by Count Erzsébet Esterházy, Antal Galgóczy and parish priest Sándor Alagovich. (Alagovich later became the regent of the Pest seminary and then the bishop of Zagreb.) ; The two-tower, single-nave, classicist-style church was completed by November 1800. The patron saint of the church was King St. Stephen again. It was not until September 29, 1805, that the church was consecrated by the vicar of the archbishop, József Ignác Vilt. The relics of the martyrs St. Severinus and St. Simplicius were placed in the altar. Since then, the church has been rebuilt and renovated several times.