Dog friendly places - HNM Campona Victrix Archaeological Park

Few people know that the Campona shopping centre in Budatétény, famous for the Tropicarium, does not bear a catchy fictional name. Instead, Campona was the name of the Roman military camp and settlement located in what is now Nagytétény, in Budapest’s 22nd district. In the 4th century, Roman Campona was the site of an event of imperial significance: Emperor Constantine I (the Great) achieved a decisive victory over the Sarmatians here. As a result, the fort was awarded the honorary title Victrix, meaning “Victorious”.

Opened in 2023, the Campona Victrix Archaeological Exhibition Site has added a particularly exciting new attraction to Nagytétény’s tourism offerings. The mission of the exhibition site is to preserve and present Nagytétény’s rich Roman heritage while providing insight into the military history of the Roman Empire, as well as the structure of the Roman army and its frontier defence system. The exhibition, housed in the visitor centre, was designed with a strong focus on accessibility: it presents the militarised world of the Roman frontier and the everyday lives of soldiers in a visually engaging and easily comprehensible way. Artefacts, models, photographs and short films help visitors explore the distinctive features of Roman fort architecture and understand the operation of the military road and chain of forts along the Danube. The longest-lasting empire in world history owed its survival and centuries of peaceful development to its well-organised army and effective border defence system.
One of the most exciting experiences of the visit is encountering the Roman cavalry. As a mounted archer auxiliary unit was stationed in Campona, the exhibition places special emphasis on the archaeology of military horses and on presenting the weapons and equipment of cavalry soldiers. Visitors can learn about the structure of stable barracks, experience the dynamic spectacle of cavalry training exercises, and marvel at the impressive skills of Roman mounted archers.