Tihanyi Bencés Apátság és Apátsági Múzeum
The baroque church of the Benedictine abbey on the Tihany peninsula, the crypt of I. András and the interactive abbey museum can be visited.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
King I. András founded the Tihany abbey in 1055 in honour of Saint Anianus (Szent Ányos) and the Virgin Mary. Its foundation charter is the oldest Hungarian document that has survived in its original form, and its Latin text contains Hungarian words. The king rests in the crypt beneath the church; his tomb was recently uncovered and made accessible.
In the Ottoman period the medieval monastery became a fortress in the Lake Balaton defence system; monastic life ceased in 1534, and the monastery buildings were destroyed by fire in 1683. The present baroque church and monastery were built from 1719 to plans by Wittwer Márton; the twin-towered church was completed by 1754. II. József dissolved the order in 1786; the Benedictines returned in 1802. In 1889 the church was decorated with murals by Deák-Ébner Lajos, Lotz Károly and Székely Bertalan.
After the dissolution in 1950 the monastery housed a social home and later a museum. The Benedictines returned to Tihany in 1990, and received the complex from the state in 1994. Since 2012 the abbey has been an independent priorate of the Hungarian Benedictine Congregation. The abbey museum reopened in summer 2020 with a renewed permanent exhibition covering the royal crypt, the ground-floor exhibition space and the rooms at cellar level; the gallery hosts changing contemporary art exhibitions.
Highlights
- Newly uncovered crypt of I. András
- Twin-towered baroque abbey church with murals and carved altars
- Interactive historical exhibition on the history of the abbey and the Benedictine community
- Abbey Gallery with changing contemporary exhibitions
- View of Lake Balaton from the heights of the peninsula
Permanent exhibition
- Lélek a vizek felett – az apátság állandó kiállítása – The interactive exhibition presents the history of the abbey and the Benedictine community of Tihany, from the royal crypt to the ground-floor and cellar-level rooms.
- Founded
- 1055
- Operated by
- Tihanyi Bencés Apátság
Admission & discounts
| Adults | HUF 3,400 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | HUF 2,500Full-time higher-education students and pensioners (with valid ID) |
| Children & teens | –Admission is free for children below school age; an extra child ticket alongside the family ticket costs HUF 1,200. |
| Seniors | HUF 2,500With a pensioner’s ID card. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · For visitors with visual, hearing or mobility impairments, intellectual disabilities, autism or state care, and one companion, with valid proof. |
| Students & apprentices | HUF 2,500For full-time higher-education students with a valid student ID. |
| Groups (15+ people) | –Every 15th person enters free of charge; for school groups, one accompanying teacher per 10 pupils is free alongside the group discount. |
| Families | HUF 9,7002 adults and 2 children under 18. |
| Additional child alongside the family ticket | HUF 1,200 |
| Audio guide | HUF 500 |
| Visual guide | HUF 500 |
| Toilet use without an admission ticket | HUF 300 |
| Guided tour in Hungarian (approx. 50–60 minutes) | HUF 22,000per group, on top of admission; register at least 10 days in advance |
| Guided tour in English or German (approx. 50–60 minutes) | HUF 30,000per group, on top of admission; register at least 10 days in advance |
Teachers and higher-education lecturers receive 50 per cent off the admission price. Tickets can be bought online and on site. The abbey church and the museum are not state-run, which is why an admission fee is charged. The admission ticket includes one free use of the toilets.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Wheelchair users can enter the Porta Pacis Látogatóközpont and the church, both reached by lift. Steps lead to the royal crypt and the museum. Visitors with a disabled parking card can park at the abbey.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | HUF 9,700 · 2 adults and 2 children under 18. |
|---|
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
The interactive historical exhibition has games and puzzles for children older than kindergarten age. Pushchairs can be taken inside or left at the Porta Pacis Látogatóközpont.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Apátság · 200 m
From Balatonfüred by bus to the “Apátság” stop; from spring to autumn Tihany can also be reached by boat.
By car
Parking available
The abbey has no visitor car park (except for visitors with a disabled parking card); park in the car park at Akasztó-domb or at the ferry.
- Accessible parking
Cars cannot drive up to the abbey. Tour buses can stop at the “Apátság” stop on Kossuth utca.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Gift shop in the Porta Pacis Látogatóközpont, at the end of the Abbey Gallery and on the side of the church. The visitor centre has toilets and a baby-changing room.
Events & venue rental
- Weddings / ceremonies
Weddings can also be held in the abbey church.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (HU, EN, DE, FR, ZH, IT, PL, RU, CS, NL, SK) |
| Photography | Photography and filming are allowed along the route open to visitors. |
| Good to know | Recommended visiting time is 30–60 minutes; no advance booking is needed for individual visitors or groups. The visit begins with a 14-minute introductory film. Subtitles and videos are available in Hungarian and English; the smartphone app “Tihanyi Apátság” provides information in 11 languages. Guided tours in Hungarian, English and German can be requested at turizmus@tihanyiapatsag.hu. Entry in swimwear or very short clothing is not permitted; eating, drinking and phone calls are prohibited in the church. Tourist groups cannot be admitted during a Mass. |