The history of the St. Stephen’s house can be traced back to the first king of Hungary, Saint Stephen. Besides being granted the Holy Crown, King Stephen received an additional gift in Rome: the “small” St. Stephen’s Church (Santo Stefano Minore, later Santo Stefano degli Ungari), which was located in the immediate vicinity of the old St. Peter’s Basilica. The church had been dedicated in the 8th century in honour of the first martyrs of Jerusalem. On the property next to the church King Stephen also founded a pilgrimage house for Hungarians arriving in Rome. Unfortunately in 1776, after more than 700 years, this important building was demolished, when a new sacristy was built next to today’s St. Peter’s Basilica. Although the idea of founding a new house for pilgrims was revived on multiple occasions throughout the years, it took until the second half of the 20th century for this idea to be realized.
During the communist regime, in 1964, József Zágon and István Mester, heads at that time of the Pontifical Hungarian Institute in Rome, were forced to step down from their offices and leave the building located at 1 Via Giulia. They, however, desired to continue their work and mission and therefore started searching for a new property.
The laying of the foundation stone of the new house was celebrated on November 19th, 1966, on the current property. House and chapel were consecrated on August 20th, 1967. In the altar table relics of different Hungarian saints had been placed.
In the past three years, the House has undergone a complete renovation with significant state support, thanks to the intervention of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference , which has resulted in a significant improvement not only in the layout of the rooms and communal spaces, but also in their technical equipment and aesthetic appearance. The hotel can accommodate 109 people. It offers a wide range of services of high quality and unique facilities.
The 59 renovated rooms offer our guests a magnificent view of Rome. Some rooms are with a balcony. Free WiFi is available in the public areas and in the rooms. The entire hotel is non-smoking.
Our aim is to make the stay of our pilgrims and guests in Rome unforgettable and to enrich their stay in the Eternal City with a unique experience. On our website you can easily find information about our hotel, our services and our current offers.
We are looking forward to welcoming you in our house.
The Management
