Ruins of the Benedictine Abbey
Don't miss the chance to visit the abbey ruins during your walk through the park system in Miskolctapolca!
Located right next to the Miskolctapolca Cave Bath, along Pazár István Promenade, lie the ruins of a 900-year-old Benedictine Abbey, discovered in 2012 by archaeologists from the Herman Ottó Museum. The abbey was originally founded by the Miskóc clan near the thermal springs, and its standing walls, which are 120-150 centimetres high, lay buried at a depth of 1.5 to 2 metres for centuries.
There are very few written records about the early history of the Benedictine Abbey in Tapolca, and the exact year of its foundation is unknown. The Benedictine church was built on an island where, in the 11th century, a rotunda — a round church — already stood. This rotunda may have served as the parish church of the settlement and is considered the earliest building in medieval Miskolc.
The Benedictine church was destroyed around 1532. Before that, it had become unusable due to environmental changes. Its stones were taken away by the local population, leaving only one tower, which was used as a wine cellar in the 18th century. In 1924, the Anna Hotel was built on its site.
The ruins of the abbey are in an open area and can be visited free of charge.
