Székesfehérvár offers a wide range of themes to explore: medieval royal history, protected buildings, museums, and activities for families or nature enthusiasts. The selection lets you choose the focus of your stay—perhaps historic sites and collections, or a guided tour and outdoor activities.
Royal history and distinctive buildings
The ruins of the Koronázó Bazilika are the remains of a three-aisled building with four towers. Until 1543, the basilica was the coronation church of the Hungarian kings; in the Middle Ages, 38 kings were crowned here. Works visible on site include a stone sarcophagus created for the canonization of Stephen, stained-glass windows by Árkainé Sztehló Lili, and wall paintings by Aba Novák Vilmos. This lets you explore a building and its royal history, as well as the later works of art on view in the Romkert.
Another architectural highlight is Bory-vár in the Öreghegy district: Székesfehérvár sculptor Jenő Bory dreamed up this small fantasy castle. In the city centre, meanwhile, stands the renovated, individually protected Hiemer-ház, a historic building complex formed by the joining of three medieval buildings. The two sites offer different ways to explore architectural history: one is a castle imagined by a sculptor, the other a complex with medieval origins.
The history of the Vörösmarty Theater also has several clearly dated milestones. It opened in 1874. After a complete renovation and reconstruction that began in summer 2004, it reopened in December 2005. Anyone interested in the theater’s history can place its original opening and later reconstruction in context.
Museums: from sacred art to football
The Székesfehérvári Egyházmegyei Múzeum’s permanent exhibition displays liturgical objects and religious memorabilia from the diocese. These include goldsmiths’ work, church textiles, Baroque paintings and sculptures. The large hall is also the endpoint of the “Magyar Szent Család nyomában” pilgrimage route. Visitors interested in exploring sacred art alongside the pilgrimage route will find both themes in one place.
The Vidi Múzeum presents a very different focus. Its exhibition tells the story of Videoton and Fehérvár FC, which dates back to 1941, through memorabilia, winning trophies, signed jerseys, shoes and several thousand other objects. Museum tours and stadium tours are available for individuals and groups; check the latest dates in advance. If you prefer an approach based on play and role-playing, visit the Hetedhét Játékmúzeum: its exhibition focuses on play and role-playing rather than arranging objects chronologically or by art-historical style.
City tour, places to play and a nature excursion
The small city train departs hourly from Városház tér, beside the Országalma, and takes an approximately 40-minute loop through the city centre. This gives you a manageable timeframe for a city tour. Since the timetable may change, it is a good idea to check it before setting off. The figures in the Órajáték also appear at set times: they depict legendary kings and well-known figures from Hungarian history, and make their first appearance at 10 a.m. with musical accompaniment, then every two hours. Check in advance whether the performance is taking place on the day of your visit.
For families with children, Koronás Park makes a destination in its own right. Its seven playgrounds feature more than fifty wooden play structures, including a play village, a herb garden maze, a castle and a coronation hill. The park’s attractions are quite different from the city’s historic collections and buildings.
The Sóstó Tanösvény offers a guided nature activity: a roughly one-and-a-half-hour eco-tour with an expert guide is scheduled there on Saturdays from 9 a.m. It introduces visitors to the wildlife and plant life along the nature trail. Check the latest tour dates before your visit. When planning your trip, you can choose between history, a museum visit, playful activities and a nature tour without having to combine these different interests into a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Sárkeresztes, Pátka, Sárkeszi, Iszkaszentgyörgy, Lovasberény, Sárszentmihály, Börgönd.
Back to the main travel overview: Székesfehérvár.
