VISITOR RULES
The St. Stephen's Basilica Warden (registered office: Hercegprímás utca 7., Budapest 1051; tax
number: 18131990-2-41; hereinafter referred to as the Warden) subjects the admission to, and the
visit of the St. Stephen's Basilica (Szent István tér 1., Budapest 1051; hereinafter referred to as the
Basilica) for guests, groups, and pilgrims (hereinafter referred to as Visitor(s)) to the acceptance of
these Visitors' Regulations. These Visitors' Regulations are posted in the Ticket Office, at the entrance
to the Basilica and are also available on the website www.bazilika.biz.
1. Visiting the Basilica and using the Services of the Warden shall be subject to the acceptance and
observance of the Visitors' Regulations. By purchasing an entrance ticket or entering the Basilica, the
Visitor accepts and acknowledges the provisions of these Visitors' Regulations as binding upon
him/herself. In addition, the Visitor is obliged to comply with the regulations on fire safety, accident
prevention, protection of property, law enforcement, health (in particular epidemiological) and to
cooperate with the staff of the Warden (regardless of their legal status). If a Visitor fails to comply
with or violates these rules or the applicable laws, or engages in conduct that may be detrimental to
the reputation of the Catholic Church, or is incompatible with or unacceptable on the basis of its
teachings, the Warden or its staff may refuse to provide service to the Visitor, and in justified cases
the Visitor may be removed from the premises of the Basilica by security personnel. (The
determination of what is incompatible with the teachings of the Catholic Church, or unacceptable
according to the teachings of the Catholic Church, or what could be detrimental to the reputation of
the Catholic Church, is a discretionary decision of the parish priest of the Basilica, i.e., he has the right
to make a unilateral determination, against which the Visitor may not appeal or object.) In this case
the Visitor shall not be entitled to a refund of the ticket price.
2. Access to the Basilica and the use of services is on a first come, first served basis.
3. Access to the Basilica and the use of the services of the Warden is only possible with a one-time,
non-refundable ticket valid for the given day. The Visitor is required to keep the receipt or invoice
received at the time of purchase while on the Basilica premises. Visitors without a valid ticket may
stay in the Basilica only for religious purposes and only with special written permission (delegation,
protocol guest, visitors for religious purposes such as prayer or confession). Visitors acknowledge that
- as the Basilica is primarily used for religious purposes - the Warden may restrict or prohibit access to
the Basilica at any time for religious or public events, weather, or health reasons. If the restriction or
prohibition was not posted on site or the website at the time of ticket purchase, the Warden will
refund the ticket price upon request.
4. In the event of a mistaken online purchase due to Visitor's error (e.g. purchasing tickets for a different date or the wrong number of tickets, the opening hours were not taken into account for the purchase), it is not possible to refund the price of ticket. If the Visitor would like to use the ticket another day, please contact us on turizmus@basilica.hu. turizmus@basilica.hucímen írásban szükséges jelezni a kérelmet.
5. The services of the Warden could only be used at your own risk. The Basilica is a sacred place,
therefore Visitors are obliged to take special care of the Basilica's furnishings, equipment and objects,
and to behave respectfully in the Basilica. Anyone who causes damage may be required by the
management of the Basilica to pay compensation for the damage or may be subject to compensation
proceedings. The Warden is not responsible for any personal injury or property damage resulting from
the behaviour of the Visitor.
6. Persons with a fever, infectious or injured, persons with open wounds or other health risks, persons
under the influence of drugs or intoxicants, or drunk, shall not enter or stay on the premises of the
Basilica even with a valid entrance ticket. Such Visitors may be refused any service by the staff of the
Warden and removed by security service from the premises of the Basilica. In such cases, the Visitor
shall not be entitled to a refund of the entrance ticket. Failure to refuse entry shall not constitute
grounds for the liability of the Warden.
7. Mentally disabled, blind Visitors or Visitors who require assistance for any other reason may only
use the services under the supervision of a chaperon.
8. It is prohibited to bring animals into the premises of the Basilica, with the exception of service dogs,
provided that the service dog and its owner have a numbered identification card. In this case, the
dog's owner may enter the Basilica without a ticket.
9. In case of visitor groups, group leaders are also responsible for ensuring that group members comply
with the Visitors' Regulations on the Basilica premises. Leaders and chaperons of visitor groups should
pay special attention to the safety of life, accident and property of the group they lead.
10. It is forbidden to carry out any activity, to behave in a way, or to bring in any equipment (glass,
knives, scissors, other tools for puncturing or cutting, etc.) that could endanger your own or others'
physical safety or cause damage to the building, its furnishings or others' property.
11. On the premises of the Basilica, it is forbidden to consume drugs, alcohol or other intoxicants,
litter, set fire, bring in vehicles, animals or objects that can cause accidents, use puncturing tools,
weapons, pyrotechnics or other alarming devices, or behave in a way that is offensive to the sacred
place.
12. The Basilica is a sacred place, therefore one must wear appropriate clothing when visiting. For
women: at least knee-length or longer skirts or trousers, a top covering the shoulders and not too lowcut or, if the top does not meet the requirements, a scarf. For men: short or long-sleeved shirt, kneelength or longer trousers. Inappropriate clothing may result in refusal of entry to the Basilica.
13. The Visitor acknowledges that, in the interests of personal and property security, the person
responsible for admission or the security guard is - in accordance with the legislation in force – entitled
to: a) verify the identity of any person entering or staying in the Basilica, inquire of the purpose of
entry or stay, ask for proof of entitlement, and, in the event of refusal or obvious inaccuracy of the
information provided, to prohibit the entry or stay of the person concerned and to ask them to leave
the premises; b) require any person entering or leaving the Basilica to present their luggage and its
contents; c) to call upon the offending person to cease his/her conduct. If the offending person does
not cease the offending behaviour or refuses to cooperate with the staff of the Warden, security
service shall be entitled to escort the person out.
14. Visitors may only use the designated traffic routes within the Basilica. It is forbidden to bend over
or climb over the guard rails, to enter areas closed to Visitors, and to stay in closed areas without
permission!
15. In any case, the Visitor is obliged to comply with the requests or instructions from the staff of the
Warden.
16. There is no first aid service in the Basilica during operating hours. In case of injury, sickness or any
other medical complaint, please contact the staff of the Warden, who will take the necessary
measures.
17. Smoking or similar activities are prohibited throughout the premises of the Basilica and within 5
metres of the gates.
18. The Visitor is obliged to dispose of garbage or waste in the designated waste bin.
19. In the event of a fire, bomb or other emergency, the Visitor is obliged to follow the instructions of
the Basilica staff and the security service.
20. By purchasing an entrance ticket or by entering the Basilica, Visitors express and acknowledge that
they accept and are bound by these Visitors' Regulations and that they will comply with its provisions
21. The Warden will indicate the prices of entrance tickets and the services on the website of St.
Stephen's Basilica - Budapest and on information boards in the Ticket Office.
22. The Basilica is a sacred place, liturgical functions always take precedence over tourist access, and
the Warden reserves the right to unilaterally change the time and order of admission. Changes are
communicated to Visitors by means of a notice posted at the Ticket Office and at the entrance, or by
live announcement. The Visitor expressly acknowledges this and buys his/her entrance ticket with this
information in mind. Visitors must leave the Basilica as soon as possible after the designated closing
time.
23. The Warden draws the attention of the Visitor to the fact that the entrance ticket entitles to entry
and stay, it does not extend to the safekeeping of property, therefore the Warden does not assume
any financial responsibility for lost objects on the Basilica premises.
24. Additional rules for visiting the Panoramic Look-out: Visitors may visit the Look-out solely at their
own risk! The Visitor is required to follow the written instructions posted and the safety instructions
of the Basilica staff at all times. Any damage caused by non-compliance, or any other damage caused
to a third party as a result of non-compliance, is the responsibility of the person who failed to comply
with the instructions. The Visitor's decision to visit the Look-out should be based on an assessment of
his/her personal physical fitness and health, bearing in mind that the Look-out terrace could be
accessed by 364 steps. Minors under supervision or persons in need of care may only visit the Lookout if accompanied by a chaperon!
The Visitor must use the part of the staircase next to the wall and use the handrails. The Visitor must
refrain from leaning against the wall, as in some places the wall surface may be sharp or pointed,
which could cause injury or accidents. Visitors must refrain from touching lighting fixtures or electrical
wiring. Visitors are required to follow each other at a distance of 4-5 steps. When descending and
ascending Visitors cross paths, Visitors must act towards each other in accordance with basic
standards of courtesy and with due regard for safety. The staircase is artificially lit, so Visitors are
required to take extra care to ensure safe passage on the stairs. When reaching the stairs to the Lookout, Visitors are required to check their clothing and luggage for suitability for climbing the tower.
Due to the height of the Look-out, extreme weather conditions (stormy winds, ice) may occur, so the
Visitor should take care of appropriate clothing and to pay attention, as the weather may cause the
pavement to become slippery. Visitors are obliged to check their footwear to ensure safe walking
(clean it of any stuck-on material before entering), and to wear footwear that allows them to walk
without a problem on the stairs for a prolonged period. Before entering the terrace of the Look-out,
the Visitor must ensure that all objects carried are securely fastened. The Visitor must use mobile
phones, cameras, binoculars hung around the neck or attached to the wrist. The Warden assumes no
liability for any damage caused by the loss or spillage of objects, and the party causing the damage
shall be liable for any damage caused to third parties. When visiting the Look-out, it is forbidden to:
− bend over the railings
- stand on the edge of the railing
− throw or spill anything from the terrace of the Look-out
− smoke or engage in any activity that can cause fire!
25. The Visitor has the right to vocalise or make comments in writing about the service provided, its
quality or the conduct of the service provider. The management of the Warden is obliged to
investigate the complaint, comment or suggestion in accordance with the relevant rules and to take
action if needed. Complaints containing an address must be answered in writing.
Visitors may also submit complaints to the following supervisory bodies with jurisdiction and
competence:
Budapest Metropolitan Government Office, Consumer Protection Inspectorate (Monday-Friday 9am12pm, József krt. 6., Budapest 1088; Monday-Thursday 13pm-16pm, Városház utca 7., Budapest 1052)
26. The Visitor acknowledges that the Warden uses an electronic surveillance system (camera) for the
protection of persons and property, which records images in the whole area of the Basilica, including
the Look-out, in accordance with the provisions of Act CXXXIII of 2005 on Security Services and the
Activities of Private Investigators. Recordings are retained for 3 days in accordance with applicable
legal requirements, after which they are deleted. Authorities and bodies authorized by law are entitled
to access the personal data (images); at the request of the person concerned, the data may be
disclosed only to the authority designated by law. The data will not be forwarded by the Warden to
third parties and will be stored on a server owned by the Warden. When processing personal data
(images), the Warden shall act in accordance with the provisions of Act CXII of 2011 on the Right of
Informational Self-Determination and Freedom of Information. The detailed rules of data processing
are set out in the Data Protection Policy of the Warden.
Bishop Gábor Mohos