Programs

Sights and Programs

TIHANY

Monuments

Benedictine Abbey - You can approach the the two-towered Benedictine Abbey (Bencés apátság), symbol of Tihany, on a steep winding road by walk or by bycicle.
Tomb of King Andrew I. - In the crypt under the abbey built in the 11st century lies the tomb of King Andrew I. (I. András, 1046-1060) founder of the abbey. In the dim sunlight filtering in through narrow loophole-like windows, stands the gravestone with a grooved cross. The deed of foundation of the Abbey which was mostly written in Latin but contains a Hungarian sentence which makes the document the first memory of Hungarian language. Beautiful frescos adorn the interior of the abbey built in the first half of the 18th century. The churchs organ is from 1764 but it was destroyed by a granade in 1945.
Part of the building adjoined to the abbey is a museum with temporary exhibitions and a lapidarium. The abbey hosts classical music concerts throughout the year. Some of the abbeys farming buildings, like the farmstead and the granary form the 19th century are also of interest. The surroundings of the abbey offers a stunning panorama with the sparkling water surface of the Balaton .... During a walk ....youll discover several historic buildings.
Open-Air Ethnographic Museum - The white washed thatched peasant hosues in the Open-Air Ethnographic Museum (Szabadtéri Néprajzi Múzeum) were made from grey basalt tufa. You can see authentic tools and equipment of old folk crafts and trades like potter, fisherman.
Hermit Houses - On the northern part of the Tihany peninsula you can see Central Europes only remained hermit colony created by Greek monks whom King Andrew I. invited to Hungary. You can see some of the cells and a cave-church carved out by the monks. Some of the cave hosues are at 20 m high.