The Church of Mary Magdalene is the only preserved part of the temple of the same name, which was one of the oldest in Budapest. It is also called the Mary Magdalena Bell Tower or the Buda Tower. The latter appeared due to its location in the urban Buda Castle District (on Castle Hill on the west bank of the Danube).

The history of the former Church of Mary Magdalene is complicated. It began in the 13th century, almost simultaneously with the emergence of the Buda Castle District. The earliest mention of the church dates back to 1257, and its construction is connected with the liberation of Hungary from the Mongol invasion.

At that time, it was just a simple chapel in the Gothic style. But later, it was rebuilt and expanded. According to historical archives, in the 15th century, the new church already had three naves and an elongated bell tower in a pyramid shape. The Church of Mary Magdalene was a religious temple for the Hungarians: they couldn`t visit the neighboring Matthias Church, as services were held only for Germans. Moreover, during the Ottoman invasion in 1541, the church remained the only Hungarian Christian institution for a while.

A few decades later, this Gothic temple was turned into a mosque. It had remained Muslim until Hungary was liberated from the Turks in 1686. However, there was a price to be paid for freedom: while leaving the city, the Ottomans destroyed the building to ruins. Only the bell tower remained. Fortunately, the building was restored soon. But the original Gothic style was replaced by a novel architectural style, Baroque.

Later, the church was severely damaged again during the military actions of 1944-1945, which became fatal for its history. The communists decided not to restore the building: the ruins were demolished, leaving the only remained part, the Bell Tower.

Today, the Mary Magdalena Bell Tower is surrounded by a garden of ruins, repeating the outlines of the very first chapel. Inside the church, there are 24 bells that can often be heard in the nearby streets, an observation deck with panoramic views of the city, and a small thematic exhibition.