History is not just a series of years and events, but an imprint that over time becomes more and more engraved in the stones of the town, in the walls of the churches and in the memories of the people. The Biró-Giczey House and its exhibitions, one of the hidden treasures of the Veszprém Castle district, preserve this heritage - and if you look carefully, you can even get a glimpse of it with the help of three special objects. A fragile piece of pottery shows a forgotten face from the past, archaeologists' measurements map the layers of time, while recent paintings tell the story of the rebuilding of the main cathedral.
The old message: the face from the past
A tiny fragment of tile. If you just pass by, you might not notice it - but if you lean in, a pair of eyes peers at you from the mists of time. Once part of an ornate vessel or relief, it now tells a story of its own. Who could it have belonged to? Shaped by a master's hand, or drawn on wet clay by a child playing, before the heat of the kiln had preserved it forever? This tile bears one of the oldest faces in Veszprém - an eye that has watched the changes over the centuries and now looks back at us.
Memories hidden in the depths: geophysical measurements by archaeologists
Sometimes history is not in the glass cases of museums, but deep underground. The secrets of the layers beneath the castle quarter of Veszprém can only be revealed with modern tools, as shown by the geophysical measurements of archaeologists, which are one of the most interesting elements of the exhibition. Ground-penetrating radar images and magnetometric surveys reveal an invisible world: traces of former roads, houses and church walls. Beneath the Baroque palaces lie the secrets of the Middle Ages, and beneath them, perhaps even older eras.
A younger impression: photographs by Canon Ivan Adam
The way to preserve the past is not only to exhibit old objects. Sometimes it is enough to record the changes of the times. The photographs of Canon Iván Ádám do just that: as an antiquarian, he followed the great rebuilding of the cathedral at the beginning of the 20th century out of his own interest, and as a canon parish priest, he did so as an official. The documentary value of the album is invaluable not only for the photographs but also for the descriptions and observations of Iván Ádám. A historical moment that will be an important memory decades later, like a piece of medieval pottery or a Baroque doorway.
Visit the secrets of Veszprém!
The exhibitions of the Biró-Giczey House and the St. Michael's Cathedral are special meeting points of history and the present. If you want to stop for a moment and immerse yourself in the layers of time, this is the place to be!
📍 Location: Biró-Giczey House, 8200, Veszprém Vár utca 31.
⏰ Opening hours
MONDAY: CLOSED
TUESDAY-FRIDAY: 5pm-7pm
SATURDAY-SUNDAY: 10am-6pm
🔹 Guided tours:
Guided tours times: SAT-SUN - 11:30am, 2pm, 4pm
🎟️ Free entrance and guided tours!
Meet the face of the past, discover the hidden city and see how history continues to be built in the present!
