Established around A.D. 972, Esztergom has always played an important role in Hungary's history. It was the birth and coronation place of the first Hungarian king, St. Stephen, as well as the capital of Hungary until the 13th century. Esztergom is the seat of the Hungarian Catholic Church and home to the Basilica of Esztergom, a masterpiece of Classicism and the third largest church in Europe.