On August 20 in Veszprém, you need only walk a few hundred meters for the history of the founding of the state to come to life beyond the pages of textbooks. For on Várhegy, traces of the family that shaped Hungary’s destiny for more than a thousand years can still be found today.
The “In the Footsteps of St. Stephen” guided castle tour begins here: it does not seek the monarch’s well-known, statue-like figure, but rather the man, the husband, the father, and the young prince who, in a time of uncertainty, had to decide which direction an entire country should take.
A story in which Veszprém also plays a leading role
At one of the first stops on the walk, the figures of István and Gizella look down from the edge of Castle Hill. From here, however, it quickly becomes clear that the history of the founding of the state cannot, in fact, be told as the biography of a single person.
The story of Prince Géza, Sarolt, István, Gizella, and Imre spans three generations. Veszprém held a special place in the hearts of the female members of the family: it may have served as an important center of Princess Sarolt’s court, and later became closely associated with Queen Gizella and her activities. This tour explores precisely this lesser-known perspective.
At St. Michael’s Cathedral, the building itself serves as a historical source. Hidden deep within its present-day walls lie medieval remains, and the Diocese of Veszprém is one of the earliest centers of the Hungarian church.
Néhány lépéssel arrébb még mélyebbre lehet jutni az időben.
A chapel that is older than the cathedral
The remains of an early rotunda unearthed beneath St. George’s Chapel indicate that a Christian sanctuary stood on this site even before the cathedral was built.
The site is also linked to the memory of Saint Imre. According to tradition, it was here that he made the vow that later became a defining part of his character. Thus, within these few square meters, archaeology, family history, and more than a thousand years of memory converge.
The festive route also takes in the Gizella Chapel. Thus, the figure of the queen does not merely accompany the walk as a story: we come closer to her in one of the unique medieval spaces of Veszprém’s heritage associated with her.
Perhaps this is the most interesting aspect of the walk on August 20. The story is there in the walls, in the excavated foundations, in the cathedral—where the memory of Stephen, Gisela, and Imre remains alive even after more than a thousand years.
On August 20 at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m., you can choose from two guided walks: in addition to the “In the Footsteps of St. Stephen” themed festive castle tour, the “Light and Devotion” walk will also depart at all three times, showcasing the grand halls of the Archbishop’s Palace and the medieval Gizella Chapel.
Meeting point: Biró–Giczey House, Veszprém, Vár Street 31.
Times: 12:00, 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.
Buy tickets here.
