A European Heritage Site for Culture

THE JOSEPH KÁROLYI FOUNDATION

Founded in 1994 by Georges Károlyi, heir to the family, together with his wife Angelica, the Joseph Károlyi Foundation initiated the restoration of the palace and remains at the heart of the project today. Officially recognised as serving the public interest, its mission is threefold: to open Hungary to Europe, to oversee the restoration of the estate, and to transform it into a European cultural centre, as part of the Heritage Sites for Culture network.

HERITAGE SITES FOR CULTURE, A EUROPEAN NETWORK

The Heritage Sites for Culture combine exceptional heritage sites with ambitious artistic, cultural and scientific projects, contributing to their restoration and wider recognition. They pursue two main objectives at the local, national, European and international levels: preserving and promoting cultural heritage, and supporting artistic creation and the transmission of knowledge.

A DOCUMENTATION CENTRE FOR THE HISTORY OF CENTRAL EUROPE

The Foundation’s library contains 15,000 books and several archival fonds devoted to the history of Central Europe, sociology and international relations (François Fejtö and Thomas Schreiber fonds), minorities (Géza Entz fonds), religions (François Fejtö and Miklós Frank fonds), heraldry and the history of the European nobility (Szabolcs de Vajay fonds).

These resources are available to researchers: consult the catalogue. More info: angelica@karolyikastely.hu, laki.xenia@karolyikastely.hu

THE HUNGARIAN POSTCARDS COLLECTION

The Foundation holds a collection of 50,000 historical postcards depicting monuments, landscapes, towns, historic sites and people of the territories of Hungary before 1920. Arranged alphabetically by locality, this extensive visual collection offers a unique record of rural Hungary at a time of profound change, documenting the transformation of towns and villages, modes of transport and everyday life.

The collection is available for consultation by appointment: fekete.agnes@karolyikastely.hu

SOCIAL SCIENCES CONFERENCES

Every year in March, the Foundation organises an international conference on social sciences. Supported by the Robert Schuman Foundation (Paris), the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (Budapest) and the Hanns Seidel Stiftung (Budapest), these conferences bring together international speakers with a range of perspectives to address contemporary political and social issues.

The list of conferences can be downloaded here.

More info: angelica@karolyikastely.hu

THE MUSEUM AND EXHIBITIONS

Housed in the palace’s former stables, a small museum traces the history of the Károlyi family from the 16th century to the present day. It complements the guided tour of the palace, offering a closer look at the story of a prominent Hungarian noble family through European history, as well as its contribution to theatre and music.

Temporary exhibitions devoted to art and history further enrich the experience, providing new perspectives. See the cultural programme here.

CONCERTS

Music is a regular part of the programme, with events that reflect the character of the place: the European Quartettissimo string quartet festival, the Saint Elisabeth candlelit concert, the musical walk through the park by the Székesfehérvár Symphony Orchestra, or the Echo Summer Academy, bringing together students and professionals around chamber music.

The palace also hosts contemporary genres, from jazz to electronic music. See the programme!

THE ARBORETUM

The park is part of the European Route of Historic Gardens. It is closely connected to the cultural activities taking place at the Károlyi Kastély. Botanical walks are organised every month. A dendrological and educational trail featuring more than 200 species representative of the world’s major regions was created in 2024. The European Plant and Garden Art Days also attract several thousand visitors each year.

More info here.

WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN

We offer a dozen cultural workshops for children in primary, middle and secondary schools, adapted to each age group. Drawing on the artistic and historical heritage of the estate, the workshops introduce children to art, architecture, music, fashion, theatre, books, heraldry and botany.

See the full programme here.

More info: fekete.agnes@karolyikastely.hu