St. Stephen’s Day is the most significant Hungarian national holiday, celebrated every year on 20 August, which is accompanied by a series of festivities lasting several days.

This holiday commemorates the foundation of the Hungarian state together with Saint Stephen, the first Hungarian king, who lived in the 10th century and played an important role in the history of Hungary: he was the first to establish a unified state among the Hungarian tribes and to spread the Christian faith in the country.

Commemorations and traditional programmes take place all over the country, but the true centre of the celebrations is Budapest, where people gather to take part in traditional festivities, diverse programmes, concerts and folk-art shows that showcase Hungary’s rich history and cultural heritage.

The event is concluded by a fireworks display, filling the sky over the Danube with lights and colours.

This holiday is an opportunity for people to cherish their national identity, celebrate their cultural heritage and connect with each other. 20 August has been a public holiday since 1891, a national holiday since 1938, and an official public holiday since 2011, thanks to the provisions of the new constitution titled Fundamental Law.

This year, the three-day event will take place from 18 to 20 August, and visitors can choose from hundreds of exciting and spectacular programmes at more than twenty venues.