The Duna Museum (Duna Múzeum) in Esztergom is kicking off 2026 with a fresh lineup of programs, anchoring the season with a thoughtful, visually rich exhibition by graphic artist Petra Zágonyi. Running from Saturday, February 14 to Sunday, March 22, at 2500 Esztergom, Kölcsey Street 2, the show, titled Trinity (Háromság), invites visitors to wander through an elemental world that blends natural forces, personality archetypes, and spiritual symbolism. Expect landscape-like visions and structured still lifes that reveal more the longer you look, with placement and pacing across the rooms designed to echo the exhibition’s central threefold motif.
Earth, Water, Air: Personality and Power
Zágonyi’s conceptual backbone is the triad of earth, water, and air—three elements that lean into human temperament and the rhythms of the natural world. Earth, cast here as solid and bodily, signifies endurance, reliability, and rigidity. Water, liquid and soulful, carries emotion, adaptability, and empathy. Air, aligned with gas and spirit, channels intellect, communication, and quickness. Rather than treating these as abstract symbols alone, the works weave them into recognizable forms—landscapes, textures, and composed tableaux—so that first impressions are soothingly familiar while a second look unlocks a coded language of hints, signs, and elegant references hidden in the play of lines and shapes.
Spiritual Layers in the Visible World
Alongside the elemental framework runs a religious thread: the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The exhibition proposes that this triune presence encircles and inhabits everything—nature, the built environment, and the folds of the human psyche. It’s not presented as doctrine but as an experiential undercurrent. You see it, or feel it, in the compositional balances and the way individual pieces interact across the space. The curatorial layout reinforces the tripartite logic: the works are consciously structured around the three elements, and the installation follows the same pattern, so that the exhibition doesn’t just show the Trinity—it moves and breathes by it. The result is a single, flowing whole where each zone amplifies the next.
When Simple Scenes Speak in Symbols
To the casual viewer, these images might read as serene landscapes, intriguing structures, or minimalist still lifes. For those willing to slow down, a layered vocabulary of symbols emerges. A rigid line might double as a ridge of rock and the outline of resolve; a wash of transparency suggests a river and an emotional shift; an airy lattice is both a breeze and an idea taking shape. The exhibition trusts the audience to connect the dots. Nothing shouts. Everything suggests. That restraint is its electricity.
Dates, Address, and a Note on Changes
Trinity by Petra Zágonyi runs from February 14 through March 22, 2026, at the Duna Museum (Duna Múzeum), 2500 Esztergom, Kölcsey Street 2. Organizers reserve the right to change the date and the program, so it’s worth checking for updates before you go.
Where to Stay: Steps from the Basilica
If you’re planning a weekend around the show, Esztergom’s compact center makes it easy. A family-run guesthouse sits in one of the city’s prettiest quarters, nestled at the foot of Castle Hill (Várhegy) and Saint Thomas Hill (Szent Tamás-hegy), directly beneath Hungary’s largest church, the Esztergom Basilica. Thanks to the central location, bars, cafés, restaurants, museums, the city center, the Little Danube Promenade, the Aquasziget adventure spa, the municipal swimming pool across the way, the Primate’s Palace, and the Maria Valeria Bridge (Mária Valéria híd) to Slovakia are all within arm’s reach.
A nearby pension right under the Basilica offers 16 tastefully furnished rooms, two elegant suites, and one spacious apartment. Many guests fall for the Basilica view at first sight. Rooms come with bathrooms (shower or bathtub), SAT TV, a minibar, telephone, and free internet.
Views, Valleys, and Wellness
Five miles from downtown Esztergom, the Bellevue Hotel rises in Búbánat Valley, serving up a sweeping panorama of the Danube—true to its French name meaning “beautiful view.” Guests can take it in from some of the 75 air‑conditioned rooms equipped with phones, color LCD TVs, and internet access; from the 160‑seat Tiffany restaurant offering both buffet and à la carte service; from the Panoramic Terrace; or from the rooftop sundeck above the wellness‑fitness wing.
For a simpler stay, Boszitanya offers year‑round lodging in a tidy setting, with well‑appointed rooms featuring private baths and TVs. There’s a bar with billiard tables and a cozy garden space, plus outdoor grilling and cooking in the yard.
Decsi Panzió, a five‑minute walk from the city center on a quiet side street next to Alpesi Vendéglő, is built atop a wine cellar that has stood since 1895, with seven double rooms (extra beds available) and three four‑bed rooms.
Tasteful, friendly rooms and two generous apartments await in another pension aimed at families, friends, class reunions, and even wedding parties—night transport included—plus company events supported by a separate downtown conference room. Or book a romantic weekend and keep it simple.
El Greco Café, Gallery and Guesthouse sits in the Water Town (Víziváros) district at the base of Castle Hill (Várhegy), blending art space and lodging. A four‑star conference and wellness hotel on Primate’s Island (Prímás-sziget) offers modern, fully equipped meeting rooms in a scenic setting, while the roadside Grante Motel on Route 111 adds easy access, free Wi‑Fi, and on‑site dining. H11 Rooms in the heart of Esztergom merges tradition and tech, with barrier‑free options and both classic bookings and fully automated smart check‑ins.
Eat and Drink: From Michelin to Street Food
Esztergom’s dining scene stretches from Michelin‑starred polish to casual comfort. 42 Restaurant, the city’s Michelin‑starred spot, delivers one of Hungary’s best fine‑dining experiences—creative, often surprising flavor combinations, local ingredients, and meticulous plating at a truly international standard.
In the city center, a family restaurant reimagines Hungarian and global dishes with special textures while keeping flavors familiar, pairing with fine wines and craft beers. A friendly, Mediterranean‑style eatery covers international plates and local specialties backed by a broad wine list, serving traditional, Italian‑leaning, and street‑food‑style options every day except Sunday for the pizzeria. Cakumpakk lives up to its all‑in name with clean, healthy ingredients, expertise, bold flavors, and a smiling, welcoming vibe. Craving something quick? There’s American, Tex‑Mex, steak, and seafood street food, and El Greco’s café‑gallery‑guesthouse hybrid in Water Town (Víziváros).
For a timeless pause, a central café recognized by locals since 1841 pours coffee under the gentle glow of a Szamos interior, with a dedicated Babits corner and table honoring the poet’s fondness for lingering there. Elsewhere, you’ll find soups, stews, one‑pot meals, fresh fried plates, salads, and desserts to eat in or take away; cozy weekly menus with home‑style flavors; and spots specializing in fresh, house‑made sandwiches, new‑wave coffee, and satisfying lunches.
Plan Your Visit
Trinity by Petra Zágonyi runs February 14–March 22, 2026, at the Duna Museum (Duna Múzeum), 2500 Esztergom, Kölcsey Street 2. Organizers reserve the right to change the schedule and details.
