Zirc – a town in Hungary in Veszprém County, with a population of 7,082 (January 2011). There is a historic Cistercian abbey and an arboretum (Zirci Arborétum Természetvédelmi Terület).
- Cistercian Abbey of Zirc – Cistercian abbey in Zirc, in the heart of the Bakony Forest, in Veszprém County, Hungary. The abbey lies within the territory of the Archdiocese of Veszprém. Despite its turbulent history, since 1989 the abbey in Zirc has once again been an active Cistercian monastery. In 1982, the abbey church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was raised to the rank of minor basilica by Pope John Paul II. The Bakony Museum of Natural History and one of the most beautiful arboretums in Hungary are associated with the abbey.
- Church – the reconstruction of the church after the Turkish destruction began in 1732 and was completed in 1751. Finishing works inside the church lasted until 1770. The large, two-tower church has a late Baroque interior with classicist elements. Inside there are richly decorated stalls, a choir and a pulpit. The main altar contains a painting by Franz Maulbertsch, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary[4]. The interior is complemented by numerous frescoes by Jozsef Wagenmeister and paintings. Due to significant destruction and damage to the interior decoration, renovation works were carried out in the years 1995-2005.
- Monastery – the monastery buildings were built in the classicist style. The biggest attraction of the monastery is the beautiful library hall. Inside there are 60 thousand valuable volumes. The greatest treasures are valuable incunabula, rare books and magazines. Carefully guarded for centuries, preserved and stored, for safety reasons they are not available to tourists. The second attraction of the monastery is the Museum of Natural History of the Bakony Forests. The museum has collected descriptions and photos of all species of trees growing in the area. The permanent exhibitions in the museum also present a collection of Carpathian minerals.
- Arboretum – to the southeast of the monastery there is an arboretum. On an area of 18 hectares there is a park with various species of plants. In the Forest House there is an exhibition on the arboretum, nature conservation and forestry. In the park you can see specimens of old trees (many species of fir, larch, yew, thuja), cross the Cuha stream on stone bridges, and in the corner of the arboretum visit the ruins of an old Cistercian church.
- Hotel Forest Hills is located in Zirc in the Bakony Mountains, 9 km from the Eplény Ski Area. It offers a golf course, a tennis court and a wellness centre with a sauna and a hot tub.A horse riding school is located in Csesznek, 8 km away. Hotel Forest Hills is 20 km from Veszprém and 28 km from Pannonhalma Abbey.
You can get to Zirc by car, train, or plane. The only airport in Hungary that serves connections from Poland is Budapest. From Warsaw, you can get there using PLL LOT and Wizz Air, and from Krakow.
