In Pannonhalma, history at the Archabbey, trails through the town, and experiences centered on herbs and wine come together. Individual visitors can tour the Archabbey with an audio guide during opening hours. Check the current visiting hours before you arrive if you want to plan your visit in advance.

The Archabbey and its architectural history

The Archabbey’s present-day church is early Gothic and has three naves; it was consecrated in 1224. The cloister acquired its present late Gothic form through a renovation completed in 1486. The oldest uniformly preserved part of the building complex, meanwhile, dates from the early 13th century. These dates offer different ways to explore the complex’s history, which cannot be reduced to a single building.

In the wider Győr-Moson-Sopron region, the Benedictine monastery in Pannonhalma was founded in 996. For an on-site visit, the Archabbey offers both an audio-guide tour during opening hours and architectural details to discover in the church and cloister.

Town history on foot and by bike

Along Gesztenyés Horog, 23 panels tell the town’s history in detail. The texts were written by town historian Dr. Ábrahám Imre. If you’d like to learn more about Pannonhalma’s past as you walk, this route brings the town’s history together with a walk.

Three hiking trails marked with red, blue and green arrows lead from Pannonhalma Porta via Fő tér, Gesztenyés Horog and Tóthegy. The names help you choose a route; they do not indicate a specific walking time or distance. A distinctive local destination that adds to a stay outdoors is the treetop walkway, opened in 2018: it is about 80 metres long, fish-shaped and wheelchair accessible. Its highest point is 14 metres above the ground. Before your visit, check whether any temporary access restrictions are in place.

There is also a cycling connection between Pannonhalma and Győr: the cycle path runs as far as the Pannonhalma Porta visitor centre buildings. If you’re planning to ride this route, check the current route conditions locally.

Herb garden, lavender and fragrances

A guided, interactive programme in the Archabbey’s herb garden introduces medicinal herbs from monastery gardens and their health-promoting and healing effects. The programme also includes a visit to the small lavender distillery, where the process is presented in an engaging way. Visitors learn how lavender is processed, and the production of lavender oil there for centuries is also explained.

If you want to be sure of taking part, you need to register and arrange an appointment in advance. Afterwards, visitors can sample medicinal teas in the Teaház, made according to recipes from the Archabbey’s 1735 recipe book, as well as seasonal herbal syrups. The garden activities thus bring together herbal knowledge, processing and tasting in one programme.

The Illatmúzeum in Pannonhalma focuses on something different: alongside five specially featured plants, it presents seven fragrances, including frankincense, musk and rose. These fragrances have been used worldwide in perfumery for thousands of years. Visiting arrangements vary by season; advance booking is required during some periods.

Wine and other tastings

On a cellar tour at the Archabbey’s winery, visitors can sit down to tasting flights of three, five or seven wines. Freshly baked pogácsa is served with them. Check the booking arrangements before you arrive if you’d like to include this tour in your plans.

The Pannonhalmi Pálinkárium offers distillery tours and tastings by individual advance arrangement. Both options therefore require different planning from a visit to the Archabbey during its opening hours: be sure to arrange each tour and tasting in advance.

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