A tower name that comes from red marble steps and a copper roof adds a distinctive architectural touch to Zirc. The Cistercian Abbey, its memorial library and the English park add cultural history and plant diversity. Local highlights thus range from a named architectural feature to extensive collections.
Getting There and Finding Your Way
Two addresses must be distinguished precisely when planning your journey: Zirc railway station is at 6 Vasút utca, and the bus station is at 6 Állomás utca. Use the appropriate address depending on how you arrive; check departure times in the relevant timetable.
Cistercian History and Memorial Library
Several cultural themes come together at the Zirci Ciszterci Apátság. The Baroque high altar in the abbey church is 17 metres tall and is described as Hungary’s largest high altar. The Cistercian Memorial Library offers a different historical perspective: its oldest volume is an incunabulum printed in 1470. An exhibition in the former winter garden, previously called the orangery, traces the development of the Cistercian Order. This development began in the 12th century and lasted 200 years. The 1470 date belongs to a single printed work, whereas the exhibition examines the development of the Order over two centuries.
The Vöröstorony
The Vöröstorony was completed in 1847. Its name refers to the 146 red marble steps leading to the roof terrace and to the roof, which was covered with copper when it was built. The completion date, steps and roofing material provide specific points of reference for the tower’s history.
The English Park
The English park covers 38 holds. It contains more than 100 conifer species, as well as 400 deciduous tree and shrub species. Alongside the abbey’s architectural and collection histories, this great diversity of plants creates its own landscape highlight. This makes it possible to distinguish between religious history, architecture and botany when choosing what to focus on in Zirc.
More Highlights in the Wider Lake Balaton - North Destination
The wider Lake Balaton - North destination offers additional, distinct highlights. Boat trips are available in the Tapolcai-tavasbarlang, along with the guided “Csodálatos karszt” (“Wonderful Karst”) exhibition. The cave is part of a system beneath the town that has been explored to a length of 14.6 kilometres so far. Hegyestű is 337 metres high and lies between Zánka and Monoszló. There, the inner face reveals the structure of a basalt volcano that was active about 8 million years ago. From the viewpoint on the western edge of the quarry site, visitors can identify the surrounding hills with the help of a panoramic information board. Another cultural highlight is the Herend Porcelain Museum, which features a permanent exhibition and changing exhibitions on the history of the manufactory. Karst, volcanic geology and porcelain offer different highlights within the wider Lake Balaton - North destination.
Discover more destinations: Bakonynána, Dudar, Csetény, Bakonybél, Eplény, Lókút, Pénzesgyőr, Porva
Back to the wider travel overview: Zirci.
