Veszprém Archdiocese opens the season with a full calendar of exhibitions, concerts, family activities, guided walks, themed tours, talks, feast-day celebrations, and church events across multiple venues. From Advent weekends to winter pilgrim-style strolls through the Fortress Quarter, plus a powerful remembrance in the former prison and a spring run of marriage-prep evenings, the year’s end and early 2026 bring a steady flow of reasons to visit and linger in the Castle District.
Weekend Fortress Walks
On December 6 and 7, then December 13–14, 20–21, and 27–28, guided Fortress Walks set out at 11:30, 14:00, and 16:00. The launch point is the Biró–Giczey House, the Baroque jewel box of the Veszprém Castle District, where a garden, gift shop, and exhibitions frame every visit. Two themed routes run throughout these weekends: the Walk of Light and Devotion includes the Archbishop’s Palace and the Gizella Chapel, departing on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 and 16:00. The Thousand Years’ Path takes in the Cathedral, the crypt, and St. George’s Chapel, Saturdays and Sundays at 14:00. Pick your time, meet at the Biró–Giczey House, and set off into a thousand years of layers.
Ordination Commemoration in the Castle Prison
On December 10 at 15:30, the Archdiocese marks a solemn wartime anniversary: in December 1944, while in captivity, József Mindszenty—then Bishop of Veszprém—ordained priests behind bars. To remember that act of faith and defiance, a free but registration-only tour leads into the Veszprém Castle Prison, guided by Archbishop György Udvardy, with capacity capped at 20 participants. The site has become a touchpoint since November 2024, when the Devictus Vincit chamber exhibition opened there for the Mindszenty 80 Memorial Year, recalling the prelate’s imprisonment and the endurance that defined his legacy.
Advent to Year-End: Keep Walking
The final three Advent weekends and the post-Christmas period repeat the full slate of Fortress Walks, still starting at 11:30, 14:00, and 16:00 from the Biró–Giczey House. Expect the same twin themes—the meditative glow of the Walk of Light and Devotion, and the deep-time sweep of the Thousand Years’ Path—running every Saturday and Sunday. Winter’s low sun turns the Castle District’s stones and spires cinematic; the guided format brings context to every arch, vault, and fresco.
Marriage-Prep Course in Veszprém
From February 6, 2026, through February 13, 20, 27, March 6, and March 13, engaged couples can join a practical, faith-rooted marriage-prep series at Padányi School, 6 Szeghlety J. Street, Veszprém. The recurring Friday sessions cover: spirituality in marriage; the families we come from; communication in relationships and conflict resolution; intimacy in marriage; differences between men and women and common pitfalls; and childrearing and family life. It’s a concentrated guide to the daily art of living together—grounded, candid, and designed to spark the right conversations before the big day.
Festive Concert to Close the Year
On December 27, the program turns musical with Festive Harmonies, a concert featuring Ádám Tabajdi, István Horváth, and the Harmónia Chamber Ensemble. Expect an evening of warm acoustics and ensemble finesse—an elegant bridge between Christmas calm and the year’s turning.
Good to Know
All events are subject to change in schedule and content at the organizers’ discretion. For the guided Fortress Walks, arrive a little early at the Biró–Giczey House to join your chosen tour. The Castle Prison remembrance on December 10 requires prior registration and is limited to 20 attendees. The Mindszenty-themed Devictus Vincit chamber exhibition remains a resonant draw within the prison site, especially for visitors following the arc of 20th-century Hungarian church history.
In Veszprém, winter’s timetable balances reflection and discovery: sacred spaces open their doors, history comes alive on foot, music carries the season, and couples plan the long journey ahead—together.
