Pannonhalma Abbey
Pannonhalma

When St. Stephen, the first king of the Hungarian state, began his quest to Christianize the nation he did so with the aid of Benedictine missionaries invited from Italy. They built a monastery in 996 that has transformed and grown over the years into the current incarnation of the Pannonhalma Abbey / Monastery.

Today the church is the home for almost 350 young men and over 50 active Benedictine monks. While it serves a role as a truly important cultural and historical attraction of Hungary, the Pannonhalma Abbey is an active religious center. Religious services are still conducted and life goes on in the modern world much as it has for the past one thousand years.

Because of its rich history the Pannonhalma Abbey has recently been declared a World Heritage site. A number of elements in this unique church alone would qualify the Abbey for this special designation. A crypt and remnants of a Gothic church from medieval times (dating back to the 1200s) is still intact underneath the larger Abbey and open for viewing. The amazing library, containing over 300,000 works, was designed to be naturally lit with carefully placed windows and mirrors, avoiding damage by candles and smoke in a world that had not yet discovered electricity.

The art museum contains some nice works, but of particular interest is the extremely fine silk cape that is almost transluscent. A small gift shop is situated near the museums's exit door, where you can purchase rosary beads, postcards and surprisingly, liquor that was manufactured by the industrious monks!