The Archiepiscopal Palace of Veszprém is one of the most significant buildings within Veszprém Castle and a true masterpiece of Hungarian Baroque architecture. Built between 1765 and 1776 to designs by Jakab Fellner, it impresses visitors with its elegant façade and richly decorated interiors.

The building follows the classic U-shaped layout typical of Baroque architecture. Its construction incorporated remnants of older structures once standing on the site, including a Gothic palace and an earlier episcopal residence destroyed during the Ottoman wars. Inside, frescoes by Johann Cymbal decorate the entrance hall, staircase and banquet room, while the palace's most beautiful space is the chapel, its ceiling also adorned with Cymbal's work. The Picture Gallery displays portraits of Veszprém's bishops and archbishops alongside a mother-of-pearl inlaid piece of furniture, a gift from Empress Maria Theresa. The palace also houses a library of roughly 60,000 volumes and an archive containing around 1,500 pre-1526 charters, including Hungary's oldest surviving original private document, dating from 1079.

How to get there

• Located within Veszprém Castle, easily reachable on foot from the town centre
• Visits are possible only with a guided tour

Practical information

• Open from 1 May to 15 October, Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-17:00
• Guided tours only
• Between 2017 and 2018 the palace underwent a major restoration costing around 1.2 billion forints

Interestingly, after Bishop Ignác Koller's death, Empress Maria Theresa herself ensured the palace's completion, adding a royal touch to its remarkable history.