Excursion to Gödöllő and Lazar Brothers Equestrian Park

Just 30 kilometres from Budapest is the beautiful Gödöllő. Its main attraction is the Gödöllő Palace, one of the main examples of Hungarian Baroque. Once it was built by Count Graszalkowicz as a centre for the future Catholic town (the Count had planned to surround it with a settlement of Catholic guest colonists), the palace eventually came into the possession of the famous Habsburgs, Franz Joseph and Elisabeth (known as Sissi). The august couple turned Gödöllö into their children's residence and renamed it the Royal Palace.

Time and history have not been kind to the royal residence. Under the socialist regime that followed the Second World War, it was abandoned. In modern Hungary, however, the palace has been, and continues to be, a focus of attention. Gödöllö is now almost completely restored and can once again serve as an example of Hungarian Baroque. Our guide will explain the architectural features and go into detail about the history behind the palace.

The splendid park around it is a great place to spend your free time.

Another interesting attraction in Gödöllö is the Basilica of Our Lady of Bosnia (Basilica of the Assumption). This church is one of Hungary's main pilgrimage centres and houses a 700−year-old sculpture of the Virgin Mary, considered miraculous. The unique two-storey church is built in Baroque style and consists of the upper church of Our Lady of Loreto and the lower church.