Guided walks return to Veszprém’s storied Castle District with atmospheric winter routes, award-winning exhibitions, and expanded access to historic spaces usually closed to the public. Across the Baroque façades, soft light glows; around Holy Trinity (Szentháromság) Square, bells carry through the quiet streets. Visitors are invited not just to stroll Vár Street but to step inside the palace, chapels, and galleries that have shaped the City of Queens for a millennium.
The Biró–Giczey House at 31 Vár Street is the Baroque gateway to it all. This is the meeting point for the guided castle walks, home to the gift shop, and host to free exhibitions—including the 2025 Exhibition of the Year winner Thistle and Lily – The Flowers of Magdalen (Bogáncs és liliom – Magdolnák virágai).
Weekend Tours with Exclusive Access
The weekend program runs at three times: 11:30, 14:00, and 16:00. Each tour lasts about 60 minutes, with a maximum of 25 people per group, departing from the Biró–Giczey House.
What opens only on the tours:
• Archbishop’s Palace (Érseki Palota) – Baroque interiors, renewed spaces, and standout artworks.
• Gizella Chapel (Gizella Kápolna) – One of the oldest and calmest sacred spaces in the district, where medieval fresco fragments create a singular atmosphere.
• St. Michael’s Cathedral and crypt (Szent Mihály Főszékesegyház és altemploma) – The city’s defining basilica, with a past revealed through the restored interior and the crypt’s medieval details.
• St. George’s Chapel (Szent György-kápolna) – An ancient memorial site in the heart of the castle, accessible only with a guide.
Two themed routes make it easy to choose:
• The Walk of Light and Devotion – Archbishop’s Palace + Gizella Chapel (11:30 and 16:00 on Saturdays and Sundays).
• A Thousand Years’ Path – St. Michael’s Cathedral + crypt + St. George’s Chapel (14:00 on Saturdays and Sundays).
New Highlights Underground
The guided castle walks expand with two special sites. Visitors now descend into the crypt of St. Michael’s Cathedral and explore the revealed remains of St. George’s Chapel—where a thousand years of history are visible in stone.
In the cathedral, the tour reaches deep into its layered past: the 14th-century Gothic sanctuary, the Baroque tomb of Bishop Márton Padányi Bíró, and the carefully restored interior. The crypt’s hushed vaults and timeworn masonry create one of the season’s most striking moments.
On the cathedral’s north side, St. George’s Chapel stands among the oldest monuments of Hungarian Christianity. Archaeology has uncovered the base walls of the original 10th-century rotunda. Tradition holds that Prince Saint Emeric (Szent Imre) made his vow here at the altar of the Virgin Mary, giving the chapel remarkable spiritual significance. In the Middle Ages, it drew pilgrims as the keeper of St. George’s head relic, a gift from the Byzantine emperor to King Stephen (Szent István).
Free Exhibitions at Biró–Giczey House
All exhibitions are free during opening hours:
• Thistle and Lily – The Flowers of Magdalen (Bogáncs és liliom – Magdolnák virágai) – Awarded 2025’s Exhibition of the Year. Objects, prints, and contemporary reflections explore Mary Magdalene, interwoven with thoughts by Blessed Magdolna Mária Bódi.
• Pantry Exhibition – Glimpses of the Cathedral’s Past – Baroque objects, liturgical pieces, and photos over 100 years old.
• My Head’s Not a Chapter – Interactive Exhibition – A playful, clear look at who the canons were and how the Veszprém chapter worked.
• Archaeology Exhibition – The castle hill’s changing settlement history and finds presented through striking installations.
When to Go
Special December hours:
• Dec 22–26: closed
• Dec 27–30 (Saturday–Tuesday): 10:00–18:00
• Dec 31 (Wednesday): 10:00–15:00
Regular hours (outside holidays), Biró–Giczey House exhibitions:
• Monday: closed
• Tuesday–Friday: 17:00–19:00
• Saturday–Sunday: 10:00–18:00
Gift shop (Biró–Giczey House): Saturday–Sunday: 10:00–18:00.
Tickets, Prices, and Practical Info
Tickets are sold at the Biró–Giczey House gift shop (cash and bank card). With limited group sizes, arriving 10–15 minutes early is recommended.
Prices:
• Adult: 3,500 HUF (~9.68 USD)
• Student/Senior: 3,200 HUF (~8.85 USD)
• Family (2 adults + 1–3 children): 7,000 HUF (~19.36 USD)
• Pilgrim ticket (with parish recommendation): 2,500 HUF (~6.92 USD)
Meeting point: Biró–Giczey House, 31 Vár St., Veszprém.
Daily Schedule: Dec 27–31, 2025
Dec 27–28 (Saturday–Sunday): Guided castle walks at 11:30, 14:00, and 16:00. The Walk of Light and Devotion at 11:30 and 16:00; A Thousand Years’ Path at 14:00. Departures from the Biró–Giczey House. Free exhibitions remain open during posted hours.
Dec 29 (Monday): Same schedule—tours at 11:30, 14:00, and 16:00. Tickets and info at the gift shop.
Dec 30 (Tuesday): Same schedule—tours at 11:30, 14:00, and 16:00. Tickets and info at the gift shop.
Dec 31 (Wednesday): Two tours—11:30 (The Walk of Light and Devotion) and 14:00 (A Thousand Years’ Path). Maximum 25 people per group. Exhibitions remain free.
Why It Works in Winter
Winter suits the Veszprém Castle District. The Baroque glow, the hush around Holy Trinity (Szentháromság) Square, and the bell song between streets set a meditative pace. These walks unlock spaces that usually stay closed, and the exhibitions—free to all—round out a day that slips between sacred quiet and hands-on history. From palace suites to the oldest chapels, from Gothic traces to a 10th-century rotunda, the district reveals itself fully. Walk it, and you step into the continuity that has shaped Veszprém for a thousand years.
