CISTERCIAN ABBEY AND VISITORS' CENTER

The medieval Cistercian Abbey of Zirc was founded by King Béla III in 1182. The construction of the abbey church began in 1732 using the medieval buildings, which were already in ruins. The high altar of the basilica minor church is the largest Baroque altar in Hungary .

The abbey is not only a monument and a tourist attraction. It is the liturgical home of a living community of monks and also the parish church of the city of Zirc. During the recent renovation, an interactive exhibition of the church and order history was created in the former orangery of the abbey, where the visitor can gain an insight into the past and present day-to-day lives of the monks who have lived in Zirc for 800 years - with more or less uninterrupted.

In addition to the church and the exhibition, the community of monks also operates a nursing home, and they revived the tradition of Zirc Abbey brewing, which dates back to the 1700s, creating a manufactory that has continued to develop ever since in an authentic environment.

www.zirciapatsag.hu