Franciscan Church

Description:

• This church is famous for several reasons. It is very old (or at least the original, built in circa 1255, is old) and it has changed hands several times. The Turks set it ablaze in 1526 but the Franciscans tirelessly rebuilt it. This was convenient for the Turks, who decided not to burn it a second time, but instead took it over and used it as a mosque. The present design emerged in 1743, when the interior was being revamped (like so much in the city) for the millennial celebrations of 1896. Franz Liszt played concerts here and one of the pews is said to be the one he habitually chose to occupy.
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