From May 4 to 10, Veszprém is once again gearing up for the celebration of Queen Gizella: the 33rd Gizella Days will fill the city with more than fifty free events, and special experiences await visitors on Castle Hill. Anyone setting out on Vár Street this weekend will encounter a cavalcade of family programs, guided castle tours, treasure hunts, music, film screenings, wine tastings, and medieval frescoes.
The programs of Gizella Days in Várhegy, taking place from May 8 to 10, combine communal celebration with the joy of discovery. A festive Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. on May 9 at Trinity Square, led by Archbishop György Udvardy of Veszprém, and throughout the day, family challenges, craft workshops, interactive games, and guided walks will follow one after another.
The chapel, which has its own access road
The Gizella Chapel is one of the most unique sites on Várhegy Hill in Veszprém. It was built in the first half of the 13th century as a two-story palace chapel. Medieval frescoes have survived on its walls, while the vaulted details and carved capitals preserve the delicate, subtle features of the Early Gothic style.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the frescoes is the technique used: the paint was applied to wet plaster, so the paint has bonded with the wall itself. Visitors are thus not simply viewing an old painted surface, but the traces of a medieval artistic process.
The chapel’s history includes a curious twist. During the 18th century, under Bishop Ignác Koller, the cult of Gisela gained prominence; the chapel’s inscription also commemorates Blessed Gisela: *Memoriae Beatae Giselae Sacrum*. The prayer service for Gisela’s Day will be held in this very chapel on May 8 at 7:00 p.m., with advance registration and limited capacity.
A Family Adventure on Castle Street
One of the highlights of the weekend for families is the trio of searching, puzzling, and creating. At Trinity Square, families can enjoy Magdi Tour, an interactive treasure hunt, code-breaking, and a Gizella Day exploration on May 9 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM and on May 10 from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. In front of the Cathedral Parish, the “In the Footsteps of Queen Gizella” program will feature building games, crafts, a treasure hunt, and brain teasers.
The Creative Garden will be open in the garden of the Biró–Giczey House from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on May 9 and from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on May 10. Also at this location, thistle and lily-making workshops will be held in conjunction with the exhibition “Thistles and Lilies – The Flowers of Magdalene,” which won the Exhibition of the Year 2025 award. On May 10 at 12:00 PM, a museum activity for children titled “Picture Hunt, Discovery” will begin.
Guided tours: the interior tour
Vár Street can be explored on your own, but guided tours take you to the most significant sites. The “Light and Reverence” tour begins at 5:00 p.m. on May 9 and covers the Archbishop’s Palace, the Koller Library, and the Gizella Chapel. On May 10 at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., the same experience will be available, focusing on the Archbishop’s Palace and the Gizella Chapel. Registration is required to participate.
On May 10, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., there will be a guided tour focusing on the architectural and historical significance of the Archbishop’s Palace and the Gizella Chapel. Registration is required to participate.
The best itinerary for Gizella Day in Várhegy is as follows: a festive or family program in the morning at Trinity Square, a treasure hunt and arts-and-crafts workshop at noon, a guided walk to the Gizella Chapel in the afternoon, followed by a wine tasting or film screening at the Archbishop’s Palace. On May 8 and 10, the documentary “1000 Years of Heritage – The Renewal of Veszprém’s Castle District” will be screened in the Archbishop’s Palace auditorium, and on May 9, it will be shown at the Major Seminary.
The programs of the Gizella Days on Castle Hill are special because they offer adventure for children, an enriching experience for adults, and rare insights for those interested in historical monuments. And the Gizella Chapel is the heart of this entire route: a space where eight hundred years of paint, stone, prayer, and human decisions come within arm’s reach.
Those who come to Castle Hill during the Gizella Days are not just choosing an event. They are stepping into a story, one of the most beautiful chapters of which can be read on the walls of the Gizella Chapel.
