Ópusztaszer’s National Historical Memorial Park is a perfect family day out, where kids can dive into the story of the Hungarian Conquest. The grounds pack in major sights: the Árpád Monument, the medieval Monastery of Szer, the open-air skanzen, the eco-focused Puszta House, the immersive Nomad Park, and the Rotunda’s exhibitions. The Rotunda also houses the legendary Feszty Panorama.
Feszty Panorama: The Blockbuster
The Feszty Panorama, The Arrival of the Hungarians, is Árpád Feszty’s monumental circular painting of the Conquest. It was a headline act of the 1896 millennial celebrations and remains a must-see cultural thrill for all ages.
Rotunda: Revamped Visitor Hub
The Rotunda, the park’s visitor center and the home of the Feszty Panorama, underwent a visitor-friendly overhaul in 2010. The roof was rebuilt, the entire building was made fully accessible, new exhibitions were installed, and the Panorama gained new visual elements. From the main gate, turn left to reach the central museum building, the Rotunda.
Inside, alongside the panorama, you’ll find multiple interactive shows:
– Ilyet nem látott a Kárpát… (2nd floor)
– Multimedia Playground (2nd floor)
– A Castle Once Stood Here, Now a Pile of Stones – Castles and battles in medieval Hungary (3rd floor, south stairwell)
– Treasures from the Earth – Archaeology and numismatics (3rd floor, south stairwell)
– The Monastery and Settlement of Szer (ground floor)
– The Conquest (ground floor)
– Promenade 1896 (2nd floor)
– Lord of the Cumans of Csengele and His People (3rd floor, south stairwell)
– Faces of Our Ancestors (3rd floor, east stairwell)
– The History of Szeged Paprika Production (3rd floor, east stairwell)
All upper-floor exhibitions are reachable by elevator. In the foyer, the Tourinform office offers tips on the park and the Southern Great Plain region. Families can request a baby-changing and nursing room—ask staff for access.
Árpád Monument
The millennial Árpád Monument is the park’s defining symbol, anchoring the historical narrative of settlement and statehood.
Monastery of Szer
Built in the 12th century by the Bor-Kalán clan, this was once the wealthiest and largest monastic institution on the Great Plain. Next to the Árpád Monument, excavations between 1970 and 1976 uncovered the medieval church of the Benedictine house, and digs—shedding light on monastic daily life—continue today.
Skanzen: Hungary in the Open Air
Open-air ethnographic museums began with Stockholm’s “Skansen” in 1891. Hungary joined in five years later with the Millennial Ethnographic Village—sadly dismantled after six months. Later came the Göcsej Village Museum in Zalaegerszeg (1968), the Vas Open-Air Museum in Szombathely (1973), and construction of the Szentendre Open-Air Ethnographic Museum.
Puszta House
Puszta House (Puszta Háza) is the park’s environmental and nature education center, welcoming visitors curious about natural values, eco-conscious living, organic farming, and ecotourism.
Nomad Park: Step Into the 9th–10th Centuries
From the Carpathians to Manchuria stretches the endless grass sea of the Eurasian steppe—the cradle of nomadic, large-herd cultures. Our ancestors joined this world from the mid–1st millennium BCE, shaping their lifestyle, society, material culture, beliefs, and art. The romantic image of fearless, horse-born Magyars with yurts and herds—captured powerfully by Feszty—meets the grittier, sometimes astonishing reality here. What did a real Conquest-era camp look like?
Nomad Park invites you into that world. Step across the threshold of time.
Horseback Show
In a 20–25 minute Conquest-era ride, weapons come alive in action: bow with varied arrows, spear, sabre, and fokos (war axe). Watch the nomads’ fearsome tactics and mounted game, the buszkas. The show requires advance booking and is available for an extra fee.
