Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment
Pannonhalma, Hungary
11.11.2018
The Thousand-Year-Old Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Surroundings
The Thousand-Year-Old Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Surroundings is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the town of Pannonhalma in Hungary. The site includes the thousand-year-old abbey, as well as its natural surroundings which have played a significant role in the history of the abbey.
The abbey was founded in 996 by Prince Géza, the father of the first Hungarian king, St. Stephen. It was built on top of a hill overlooking the Danube River, providing a strategic location for defense and also a peaceful atmosphere for the monks. The abbey became an important center for Christianity in Hungary, and also played a role in the country's political and cultural development.
Throughout its thousand-year history, the abbey has undergone numerous renovations and expansions, resulting in a mixture of architectural styles including Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque. The most notable structure is the Romanesque basilica, built in the 13th century, which contains beautiful frescoes and a crypt where the remains of the first Hungarian king, St. Stephen, are preserved.
The natural surroundings of the abbey also hold great significance. The hill on which the abbey is located is known as Mount Saint Martin, named after a hermit who lived there in the 11th century. The hill is covered in lush forests and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape, making it a popular destination for visitors.
Today, the abbey continues to function as a Benedictine monastery, with a community of monks living and working there. It also serves as a cultural and educational center, offering guided tours and hosting various events throughout the year.
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The first Benedictine monks settled here in 996. They went on to convert the Hungarians, to found the country's first school and, in 1055, to write the first document in Hungarian. From the time of its founding, this monastic community has promoted culture throughout central Europe. Its 1,000-year history can be seen in the succession of architectural styles of the monastic buildings (the oldest dating from 1224), which still today house a school and the monastic community.
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey or Territorial Abbey of Saint Martin on Mount Pannonhalma (lat. Archiabbatia or Abbatia Territorialis Sancti Martini in Monte Pannoniae) is a medieval building in Pannonhalma and is one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary. Founded in 996, it is located near the town, on top of a hill (282 m). Saint Martin of Tours is believed to have been born at the foot of this hill, hence its former name, Mount of Saint Martin (Hungarian: Márton-hegy), from which the monastery occasionally took the alternative name of Márton-hegyi Apátság. This is the second largest territorial abbey in the world, after the one in Monte Cassino.
Its sights include the Basilica with the Crypt (built in the 13th century), the Cloisters, the monumental Library with 360,000 volumes, the Baroque Refectory (with several examples of trompe-l'œil) and the Archabbey Collection (the second biggest in the country). Because of the exceptional architectural evolution of the abbey over its 1000-year history and its historical importance as an international cultural and religious center, the abbey and its surroundings were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.
Today there are about 50 monks living in the monastery. The abbey is supplemented by the Benedictine High School, a boys' boarding school.
