HUNGARY Abbey of Tihanyi
The Abbey in Tihany, which is the most popular attraction in Tihany
The history of Tihany Abbey
The Benedictine Abbey of Tihany is located on the top of a hill in the middle of Tihany. It was founded by King András I in 1055. The oldest document in Hungary is the founding letter of the abbey written in Latin. King András I gave the villages, donated lakes and other material goods for the abbey. The diploma also contains related text fragments in Hungarian, as well as Hungarian place and personal names. The abbey has become the symbol of Tihany and the most visited landmark.
the history of the abbey after 16th century
In the history of Hungary, the XVI-XVII. century brought changes. Due to the Turkish attacks, monastic life ceased in Tihany, soldiers moved into the monastery. The building was converted into a fortress and rebuilt with protection considerations in mind. A fortification was built around it. After the expulsion of the Turks, the royal chamber returned the estates in the liberated areas to their former owners only after the payment of arms ransom. Thus, in 1702, it became the property of the Austrian Benedictine Abbey of Altenburg. The Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalmi was only able to buy it back from Altenburg in 1716, so it returned to Hungarian hands.