Grand Organ Inauguration Concert at St. Stephen’s Basilica
After two years of meticulous restoration, the magnificent grand organ of St. Stephen’s Basilica returns to life in a special inauguration concert on October 25, 2025. This momentous occasion celebrates both the completion of an extraordinary restoration project and the basilica’s 120th anniversary, bringing together musical excellence and architectural grandeur in the heart of Budapest.
The restoration represents 21 months of dedicated work, totaling over 17,000 hours of craftsmanship. The result is a stunning instrument featuring 97 registers and 6,389 pipes—Budapest’s largest and most impressive organ.
The Inaugural Performance
The one-hour concert begins at 8:00 PM and showcases the talents of the basilica’s accomplished organists: Gábor Szotyori Nagy, András Gábor Virágh, and András Virágh. These distinguished musicians will perform an exceptional program featuring masterworks by Bach, Franck, Kodály, and Liszt—composers whose music perfectly demonstrates the organ’s remarkable range and newly restored capabilities.
The selection spans from Baroque brilliance to Hungarian national treasures, offering audiences a journey through centuries of organ composition performed on one of Central Europe’s finest instruments.
Practical Information
Date: October 25, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM (doors open at 7:30 PM)
Location: St. Stephen’s Basilica, Szent István tér 1, 1051 Budapest
Seating: First-come, first-served basis
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
Best deals of Budapest
Ticket Prices:
- Adult tickets: 4,500 HUF
- Student and senior tickets: 3,000 HUF
Tickets can be purchased at the Basilica ticket office or online at bazilika.jegy.eu. Arrive early to secure better seating, as the concert operates on a first-come basis once doors open at 7:30 PM.
Visitor Guidelines for the Basilica
St. Stephen’s Basilica is an active place of worship and an important spiritual center for Budapest’s Catholic community. When attending the concert, please observe these respectful guidelines:
- Maintain quiet conversation and silence mobile phones upon entering
- Dress modestly—avoid shorts, miniskirts, tank tops, or exposed shoulders
- Men should remove hats inside the basilica
- Children should be prepared for the sacred atmosphere
- Avoid chewing gum inside the venue
- Do not enter cordoned-off areas or the sanctuary
- Food, beverages, luggage, and pets are not permitted inside
Why This Concert Matters
This inauguration concert represents more than just another organ performance—it marks the rebirth of a musical treasure that has graced Budapest for over a century. The painstaking restoration ensures that future generations will continue to experience world-class organ music in one of Hungary’s most stunning neoclassical buildings.
St. Stephen’s Basilica already enjoys a reputation for exceptional acoustics and regular organ concert series. This special inaugural event offers visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the first notes from the newly restored instrument, performed by Hungary’s finest organists in celebration of both musical and architectural heritage.
For classical music enthusiasts visiting Budapest in late October, this concert combines cultural significance with musical excellence in one of the city’s most iconic venues. The combination of masterful performance, historic setting, and the excitement of an inaugural concert creates an unforgettable evening that captures the essence of Budapest’s rich musical tradition.
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