Pilgrims
Vác is a major diocesan center, and the sacral values and places of pilgrimage of the city tell visitors about the history of city building, as well as mysterious legends.
Vác is a bishop's city, the center of the Diocese of Vác, and one of the oldest inhabited settlements in Hungary. The interweaving of secular and sacral life has shaped the image of the city over the centuries.
After the destruction of the Turks, the activities of the city-building bishops of Vác resulted in the rise of the city, and during a sightseeing tour of Vác you will also meet the traces of the sacrificial work of Archbishop-Bishop Kristóf Migazzi. One of its emblematic symbols is the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace, which is the ecclesiastical center of the city.
In addition to the Bishop's Palace, the Assumption Cathedral in Vác, the Theresianum, the present-day town hall, the triumphal arch, the Hospital of the Merciful, and the Seven Chapels were also completed in the time of Kristóf Migazzi.
Famous statues of Vác
Vác is the city of towers, but before you walk through the city's famous churches, start your walk in Vác on the Baroque main square. The statue of St. Hedvig is placed next to the Church of the Whites, interestingly, St. Hedvig is the patron saint of the Danube Bend.
The Danube bank in Vác awaits pilgrims with two more statues. In 2009, the statue of St. Elisabeth of the Árpád House was inaugurated on the banks of the Danube in Vác on the St. Elisabeth promenade, while the statue of St. John of Nepomuk is located at the beginning of the Franz Liszt Promenade. He is the patron saint of rivers, bridges, boatmen, watermen, and fishermen.
The Trinity Column, located opposite the Piarist church , is one of the most prestigious monuments in Vác. The group of statues, which depicts St. John of Nepomuk, St. Sebastian, and St. Fox, among others, was erected by survivors in gratitude for the end of the plague epidemic of 1740-41.
There are six statues on the Stone Saints Bridge, which are worth visiting, as the statues depict the apostles Peter and Paul, St. Camilla, St. Barbara, St. Tade, and St. Vena. The bridge was an important site of the April Battle of 1849.
Churches and exhibition venues in Vác
The most famous church in Vác is the Assumption Cathedral in Vác, which is the fourth largest basilica in the country. The cathedral, built in the XVIII century, is already the third great church in the city, and its altarpiece has a rather exciting story.
On the main square of Vác you can meet the ruins of the church of St. Michael, which once stood here, the sub-church nowadays functions as an exhibition space, awaiting visitors with valuable artifacts.
Also on the main square stands the Temple of the Whites, named after the White Habitus of the Monks of the Dominican Order. The discovery of the legendary mummies of Vác is connected to the temple, some of the material can be viewed in the Memento Mori exhibition of the Tragor Ignatius Museum .
As the headquarters of the Diocese of Vác, in the Grand Priest's Palace , there is the Váci Cathedral Treasury and Diocesan Collection, which presents the treasures of the churches and heads of the churches located in the territory of the diocese. The museum offers an insight into the diocese's millennial past, with significant sacral relics and original wall frescoes.
The Franciscan church and monastery of the Holy Cross was built on the territory of the Vác Castle. The furnishings of the Baroque church are very rich, and its main highlight is the main altar of the early Rococo bunk wood. Interestingly, the monastery once housed one of the largest rural church printing houses of the time.
Visit to the Bishop's Palace and Garden of Váci
Every Friday and Saturday at 11.00 am, a guided visit starts for individual guests.
Entrance ticket (guided tour included in the ticket price)
- Adult/full price: 1300 HUF
- Pensioner/student: 900 HUF
For a group visit at another time, you can check in at the following contact details:
- email: latogatas@vaciegyhazmegye.hu
- telephone (during working hours): 0630 716 5722
On the last Saturday of each month, on the guaranteed guided tour, the residents of Vác are guests of Bishop Zsolt Marton by presenting a residence card.
Váci pilgrimage sites
Our city is part of and a staging place of the international Marian Way, which is also the pilgrimage route of Central Europe. In addition to the pilgrimage, the Marian Way is also the venue of several international events, the most famous are the Maria Marathon, the 1 Way International Pilgrimage Day or the 40-day pilgrimage to Csíksomlyó. The pilgrimage sites of Vác can be reached on the designated pilgrimage route of The Nézsa-Vác and the Márianosztra-Vác-Veresegyház.
A 15-20 minute walk from the city center you will find the Calvary Hill, where the oldest Calvary monument ensemble in the area is located . Inside the fortification-like structure is the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, from where the stations of christ's passions can be seen through 14 stations.
Due to the Seven Chapels of Vác and the legends associated with it, as well as the healing water of the spring, the area is a popular place for excursions and pilgrimages in the city. The church is consecrated in the name of the Virgin Mary, the farewell day of the Seven Chapels is the Sunday closest to Mary's Day (September 12) each year.
During farewell, several Masses are held, and late at night there is a candle rosary along the stands. The procession always takes place on Sundays, at which time the faithful depart from the cathedral to the Grove, where they attend a Mass held in the shade of the chestnut trees at the outdoor altar.
Would you like to get to know the famous sacral exhibitions, statues and temples of Vác? Visit us at any time of the year, the city always welcomes pilgrims with open arms.