Embark on a thrilling, adventure-packed journey back in time for four whole days this August as Székesfehérvár (Székesfehérvár) becomes Hungary’s medieval playground. The Coronation Festival Games and Knights’ Day transform the city center into a bustling, colorful fair, where royal giant puppets hold court, knights clash in tournaments, musicians play rousing tunes, and craftsmen display their mastery along cobbled squares. Merchants, jesters, and inevitable tricksters squabble in the marketplace, while witches and fortune-tellers tempt visitors to glimpse their destinies.
Knights’ Day: Swords, Crafts, and Giant Puppets
Everything kicks off on Saturday, August 16, with Knights’ Day. From 10:00 am at Town Hall Square (Városház tér), the city erupts into pageantry: a ceremonial flag-raising and the lively Medieval Street of Crafts, packed with musicians, jesters, artisans, and friendly rabble-rousers inviting everyone to soak up the Middle Ages.
Children and adults alike can take on challenges ranging from stone-breaking to medieval matchmaking card games and logic puzzles, clustered around the evocative Medieval Ruin Garden. The Ars Ensis group demonstrates the art of swordsmanship with hands-on workshops—feel the weight of authentic blades and even try medieval fencing between demonstrations.
By 1:30 pm, a grand parade of knights and giant puppets winds along Castle Circumference Boulevard (Várkörút). The knights then pay tribute and swear oaths at the tomb of Saint Stephen (Szent István), Hungary’s first king. At Town Hall Square (Városház tér), spectators witness the bruising Buhurt Pro Fight—a full-contact weapons exhibition—followed by the hotly contested III. Saint Stephen’s Tournament and the champion’s coronation. Closing out the day is a medieval family mystery play, “Fathers and Sons,” in the courtyard of the King Stephen Museum (Szent István Király Múzeum)—entry is free, but registration in advance is recommended.
Coronation Festival Games: Living History on Every Corner
From Sunday, August 17, to Wednesday, August 20, the festival expands even further, flooding the city’s historic streets from dawn till dusk with non-stop entertainment. The heart of the action is a medieval marketplace presented by the Free Theater (Szabad Színház), packed with actors, buskers, and street theater. Visitors become part of the show, taking sides in market squabbles, tackling hands-on medieval games, and trying their luck at rustic amusements.
Young adventurers can storm a wooden castle via catapult, get lost in a rope maze, feed a (hopefully friendly) dragon, or test their aim in quirky medieval shooting galleries. Crafters can enjoy woodworking workshops—tinker with ancient tools or forge keepsakes in the smithy.
Enter the Witch and Fortune-teller Alley for card readings, love predictions, amulet-making, or stroll the Street of Medieval Punishments for a tongue-in-cheek glimpse of old-school justice. The Street of Crafts (Mesterségek Utcája) beckons with blacksmithing, coin-minting, and calligraphy, while surprise performances from early music ensembles break out at historic landmarks and outside the Mercure King of Hungary Hotel (Mercure Hotel Magyar Király).
Giant Puppets and Living Legends
Not to be missed: the giant puppet exhibit. Stroll through National Flag Square (Országzászló tér) to marvel at these colossal figures—each representing legendary rulers from the Árpád dynasty. Families can dive into puppet-themed games, pick up interactive workbooks, and solve lineage puzzles inspired by medieval Hungarian dynasties.
For history buffs and curious minds, the Re-enactors’ Camp in Zichy Park offers a taste of bygone life: try archery, medieval crafts, or watch how ancestors lived, fought, and played. Young aspiring knights can race along a specially built 100-foot-long wooden obstacle course—and with walking, cycling, and river tour tips available on the spot, there’s adventure for every age.
A Dazzling Program from Morning Till Night
Every festival day is filled with music and performances. Start the day with children’s workshops, puppet shows, storytelling, and hands-on music sessions. Traditional Hungarian and Renaissance music groups (Tabulatúra, Sub Rosa, Musica Historica, Hollóének Hungarica, Keleti Szél, and more) rotate on open-air stages. There are flag-thrower parades, reenactments by hussars and knightly orders, comedy performances, stilt walker parades, Baranta martial arts displays, and outdoor theater.
Each night, the main event: the “Coronation Ceremony Play – The Cursed City (The Coronation of Charles Robert (Károly Róbert) in Fehérvár)” comes to life at the Golden Bull Monument (Aranybulla emlékmű), directed by János Szikora with a star-studded cast. Tickets cost about $2.70, and if rain falls, performances are rescheduled for the following night.
Plan Your Medieval Adventure
Between August 16 and 20, Székesfehérvár (Székesfehérvár) becomes the country’s ultimate time machine. Explore, play, learn, and celebrate like it’s 1299—just check the festival’s schedule and be ready for surprises. The organizers reserve the right to make changes, so expect the unexpected under the August sun.
