International Palace Games of Visegrád
The International Palace Games of Visegrád is the largest medieval festival in Hungary, held annually at the second weekend of July. The 3-day event is meant to reach a wide international public with its diversified programmes: performances and shows of Hungarian and foreign participants - hundreds of re-enactors, musicians, dancers, comedians and jugglers - in a uniquely authentic environment. The long-term impact of the famous royal meeting in Visegrád in 1335 proved the significance of Central European cooperation and our aim is to present a vivid example of it by promoting the importance of our historical and cultural heritage. Since 1985 the Palace Games of Visegrád has been a reminder of this exemplary consensus by strengthening and developing the cultural cooperation among the nations. Thus, the participants of the festival arrive from all V4 countries, as well as Italy, Germany, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Austria.
The spectacular tournaments of infantrymen and mounted knights are held at the original tournament field of the royal palace together with dance performances, flag-throwing shows, medieval games, exciting contests and falconry displays. Several festival programmes take place in the authentic rooms and suites, and in the wonderful renaissance garden of the palace, which helps you get a very special insight into the life of a once so splendid royal residence. At the other venues of the festival area you can listen to period music, join the medieval dance performances, cheer your favourite knight on at the historical duels, have fun by watching the puppet theatres and street comedies, or simply walk around the busy and colourful medieval market.
Come and be part of this real one-of-a-kind event which presents you and your family a very special blend of history, spectacle and fun!
The project „39th International Palace Games of Visegrád – V4 Historical Festival" is supported by the International Visegrad Fund under Project ID 22410003.
Visegrad Four project partners
Muzeum Okregowe w Tarnowie (PL) - http://muzeum.tarnow.pl
The successful and continuous cooperation with the Museum of Tarnów and with the Polish re-enactor groups started more than two decades. From year to year we take part at one another’s medieval festivals and the colleagues of the local museums work together in historical researches. They actively contribute to the V4 programmes of the festival regarding planning, organizing and participating. The cooperation was strengthened by a multilateral Cooperation Agreement signed on 24 September 2012.
The travel agency helped a lot in organizing the so called “Little Palace Games for V4 Schoolchildren Programme” in 2022, which was very successful and played an indirect role in the promotion of the V4 cooperation and of the Palace Games. This cooperation has great potentials, which we intend to utilize in connection with the improvement of the festival promotion, especially in Poland.
Město Uherský Ostroh (CZ) - https://uhostroh.cz
With the help of our old Czech partner, Memeto mori re-enactment group, we got in contact with the municipality of their hometown in 2019. We are committed to strengthen the partnership, as our towns have a rich built historical heritage, and we have similar ideas about how to integrate it even more in the community's life. The cooperation has opened up the opportunity to gain new impressions, as we know that the popularity of a place is largely affected by the cultural events, informal learning activities & leisure facilities provided there and monuments can become real drivers of local and regional development.
Order of St. Galahad (SK) - http://galahad.sk
The organization has a great experience in organizing medieval events, so they will take part in the preparation of special programme elements of the project (e.g. joint infantry performances with the participation of several groups; living history encampment activities, etc.). They will also help to coordinate the participant groups and other performers from Slovakia.
Tournaments
Friday, 12 July 2024
14:30-15:00 Royal Parade on Main Street
15:00-15:45 Tournament of Casimir, King of Poland
16:00-16:15 Young riders of the Torda Köböre Association
16:30-17:00 Spear throwing contest*
17:00-18:00 Tournament of Charles I, king of Hungary
20:30-21:00 Torchlight Parade on Main Street
21:00-21:50 Tournament of Casimir, King of Poland
Saturday, 13 July 2024
10:30-11:00 Royal Parade on Main Street
11:00-11:40 Tournament of Casimir, King of Poland
13:00-14:00 Tournament of Charles I, king of Hungary
14:40-15:00 Young riders of the Torda Köböre Association
15:00-16:00 Tournament of Charles I, king of Hungary
16:45-17:00 Performance of József Mónus world record holding flight archer
17:00-18:00 Tournament of Charles I, king of Hungary
20:30-21:00 Torchlight Parade on Main Street
21:00-21:50 Tournament of John, king of Bohemia
Sunday, 14 July 2024
10.30-11:00 Royal Parade on Main Street
11:00-11:45 Tournament of Casimir, King of Poland
13:30-14:30 Historical archery competition
14:30-15:30 Tournament of Charles I, king of Hungary
16:15-16:30 Young riders of the Torda Köböre Association
16:30-17:00 Crossbow competition
17:00-18:00 Tournament of Charles I, king of Hungary
* The Spear throwing contest on Friday, the performance of archer József Mónus on Saturday and the Archers' contest on Sunday can be visited with the ticket of the following knight tournament.
Program of knightly tournaments
Knightly tournament of the Polish King Casimir:
Falconry demonstration,
Horse archery demonstration of the Vermes tribe,
Pages of the Knightly Order of St. George,
Equestrian demonstration of Márk Haramza,
Archery demonstration of the Black Falcon group,
Polish infantry tournament: Druzyna Wow Peruna z Tarnowa,
Primavera dance group,
Equestrian duel,
The Battle of Rozgony by the Sereghy tribe (Johannite Brotherhood “Sword and Csoss”, Compagnie d' Noir, Güglers, Milites Christi, Knightly Order of St. George)
Knightly tournament of King Charles I of Hungary:
Performance of the world champion horse archer Lajos Kassai,
Falconry demonstration,
St. Michael's Equestrian Band,
Primavera dance group,
Pages of the Knightly Order of St. George,
Italian flag throwers (Lanciano and Montecassiano),
Serbian-Hungarian infantry tournament,
Battle of Spears,
Battle (participants: Heavy Infantry of Börzsöny, Knightly Order of the Lion’s Heart, Knightly Order of the Black Army of Kaposvár, Knightly Order of St. Sebastian, Güglers, Johannite Brotherhood, “Sword and Cross”, Heritage of the Hunyadys, Castle Defense Association of Füzér, Order of the Free Knights of Kisújszállás, Milites Christi, Rege Archers, Compagnie d'Noir, Armigeri e Balestrieri Citta di Bucchianico, Order of the Dragon’s Knights of Siklós, Association for Tradition Preservation of Marót, Lux Fencing Association, Solomon Historical Club, Drummers of Visegrád, Knightly Order of Saint George)
Knightly Tournament of the Czech King John:
Falconry demonstration,
Archery demonstration of the Black Falcon group,
Primavera dance group,
Horse archery demonstration of the Vermes tribe,
Memento Mori Czech knights,
Klára Haramza,
St. Longinus – Zenta, Serbia
Battle
Chief Heralds:
Actors János Papp and Dániel Papp
Ticket information
Daily ticket
Above 14 years: 2.000 HUF
Under 14 years: free
The daily ticket includes access to all venues and programs of the festival area excluding the knights’ tournaments.
Tickets for the knights' tournaments
Tournament of John, king of Bohemia
Covered stand:
adult: 3.500 HU; children (6-14 years): 1.500 HUF
Tournament of Charles I, king of Hungary
Covered stand:
adult: 4.500 HUF, children (6-14 years): 1.500 HUF
Tournament of Casimir, king of Poland
Covered stand:
adult: 3.500 HUF, children (6-14 years): 1.500 HUF
For children under 6 the entry to the knights’ tournaments is free of charge!
Tickets for the knights’ tournaments can be purchased at the entry gates of the festival area or in advance on internet at www.jegy.hu
Internet ticket holders get the daily ticket gratis!
More information
e-mail: info@visitvisegrad.hu
tel: +36 26 397 188