Pannonhalma is a small town in western Hungary, in Győr-Moson-Sopron county with approx. 4000 inhabitants. It is about 20 km from Győr; it is accessible by car, bus or train. Hungary is subdivided administratively into 40 regions. ... GY Gy or gy may stand for: gray (unit) for absorbed dose of radiation (Gy) Guyana (ISO country code) Gy, Switzerland, a village in the canton of Geneva in Switzerland Gy, a commune in the Haute-Saône département in France 1 gigayear (1 billion years) (the preferred symbol is Ga... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... Square kilometre ( U.S. spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per unit of volume. ... A postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. ... A telephone numbering plan is a system that allows subscribers to make and receive telephone calls across long distances. ... Győr-Moson-Sopron is the name of an administrative county (comitatus or megye) in north-western Hungary, on the border with Slovakia and Austria. ... The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ...

Benedictine Archabbey and Boarding School

Pannonhalma's most notable landmark, one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, the Benedictine Archabbey can be found next to the village, on top of a hill (282 m). Saint Martin of Tours is believed to be born at the foot of this hill, hence its former name, Mount of Saint Martin. This is the second largest territorial (ie., approx. sovereign) abbey in the world, after the one in Monte Cassino. A Benedictine is a person who follows the Rule of Saint Benedict, whether belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, or to one of the Anglican or Protestant churches. ... An abbey (from the Latin abbatia, which is derived from the Syriac abba, father), is a Christian monastery or convent, under the government of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serve as the spiritual father or mother of the community. ... Statue of Saint Martin cutting his cloak in two. ... The restored Abbey Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about eighty miles (130 km) south of Rome, Italy, a mile to the west of the town of Cassino (the Roman Cassinum having been on the hill) and about 1700 ft (520 m) altitude. ...

The monastery complex

Its notable sights include the Basilica with the Crypt (built in the XIII century), the Cloisters, the monumental Library with 360,000 volumes, the Baroque Refectory and the Archabbey Collection (the second biggest in the country). Today there are about 50 monks living in the monastery. The abbey is supplemented by the Benedictine Secondary School, a boys' boarding school. The Basilica of St. ... Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A Cloister is part of cathedrals and abbeys architecture. ... Adoration, by Peter Paul Rubens: dynamic figures spiral down around a void: draperies blow: a whirl of movement lit in a shaft of light, rendered in a free bravura handling of paint The Baroque was a style in art that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce... A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions, its use today is considered somewhat pretentious. ...

History

It was founded as the first Hungarian Benedictine cloister in 996 by Prince Géza, who designated this place for the monks to settle down, and the place soon became the centre of the Benedictine order. Géza's son, King Stephen I donated estates and privilege to the monastery. The first written record of Hungarian language, the Charter of the Tihany Benedictine Abbey, dating back to 1055, is still preserved in the library. The first buildings of the community were destroyed, then rebuilt in 1137. The Basilica's pillars and the early Gothic vault were built in the early XIII century, using the walls of the former church. In 1486 it was reconstructed under King Matthias in Gothic style. The monastery became an archabbey in 1541 and in the XVI and XVII century it was turned into a fortification. In the XVII and XVIII century, the complex had rich Baroque adjustments and extensions (much of its present parts was made at this time). It received its present form in 1832, with the library and the tower built in classicistic style. In the 1860's, major renovations took place by Ferenc Storno, mostly in the basilica. – In 1995, one year before the millennium, the complex was entirely reconstructed and renovated. In 1996, "the Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment" was elected among the World Heritage sites. Events March/April - Pope John XV dies before being being able to coronate Otto III, King of Germany as Holy Roman Emperor. ... Géza of Hungary (born around 940-945, died in 997) (possibly Gyécsa in Old Hungarian, Gejza in Slovak), was the fejedelem (ruling prince) of the Magyars from c. ... A statue of Stephen the Great King Stephen the Great or St. ... The Hungarian language is a Finno-Ugric language spoken in Hungary and in adjacent areas of Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia (all territories lost after World War I). ... Tihany is a village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton on the Tihany Peninsula. ... Events January 11 - Theodora becomes Reigning Empress of the Eastern Roman Empire. ... Gothic architecture characterizes any of the styles of European architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, in use throughout Europe during the high and late medieval period, from the 12th century onwards. ... Matthias Corvinus (Mátyás in Hungarian, Matei Corvin in Romanian), (February 23, 1443 (?) - April 6, 1490) was one of the greatest Kings of Hungary, ruling between 1458 and 1490,he was also the rival King of Bohemia,and as so controled the most of Bohemia,and also,by surviving his rival... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity as setting standards for taste which the classicist seeks to emulate. ... A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years. ... This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. ...

The secondary school

History

Education began soon after the foundation in 996, so this date can be regarded as the beginning of school education in Hungary. Education had to be ceased at the Turkish invasion in the middle of the XVI century, but it re-started in 1690, teaching would-be monks after secondary school. The Benedictine order was dissolved in 1786 by Joseph II; it was taken up from 1802, and the education started again. From 1919, the leadership wanted to open a public school, and they succeeded in 1921 with 22 students. In 1932, however, due to the economic depression, it had to be closed. It re-opened in its present form in 1939 as an "Italian" secondary school, with emphasis on the Italian language and culture. By this year, it received separate buildings for the education and the dormitories, which are still in use. In 1948 it was brought under State control, and it could reopen in 1950. It was among the few Catholic schools which didn't cease functioning even in the Socialist era (which ended in 1989). Under the 1995 renovations the secondary school was completely renewed. Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II Joseph II (March 13, 1741 – February 20, 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790. ...

Today

Although it is a prestigious school, usually among the top five of Hungary (cf. Public school (UK)), only a small tuition fee is required, in accordance with one's means. Today there are about 300 students studying here for four or six years (from the age of 12 or 14), until the maturity examination certificate at the age of 18. There are usually two classes in every year, each with 30-40 people. A public school, in common English and Welsh usage, is a (usually) prestigious school, for children usually between the ages of 11 or 13 and 18, which charges fees and is not financed by the state. ... Matura or Matur is the word commonly used in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland for the final exams young adults (aged 18 or 19) take at the end of their secondary education. ...

Students are allowed to choose between German and English, and between Italian and Latin (of course, they may take up further languages as well). Specialization is possible from the age of 16 in any two subjects. Approximately half the teachers are monks, and the other half is lay (men and women). There are several study circles available for the students, and they may see movies twice a week. Students live in dormitories of 30 until the age of 16, and in rooms of 4 (sometimes 2) persons during the last two years. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... A study circle is a small group of people who meet multiple times to discuss an issue. ...

Slang from the school

The following list includes some commonly used slang terms, used at the secondary school of Pannonhalma:

COX - Nickname of Father Tamás.
SMASSZER - Nickname of Father Ambrus.
QPAC or KUPAC - Pannonhalma (and the hill).

Further sights

Around the monastery one can find the Arboretum (founded in 1820, with more than 400 species, among them several specialities), the Millennium Monument (Neoclassicistic, 1896), the Our Lady Chapel (Baroque, 1724; Romantic, 1865), the Way of the Cross (Baroque, 1724), and the Blessed Maurice Lookout Tower in the woods nearby. An arboretum is a botanical garden primarily devoted to trees and other woody plants, forming a living collection of trees intended at least partly for scientific study. ...

See also

Further settlements of the Benedictine Order

• Győr
• Tihany
• Bakonybél
• Budapest

The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ... Tihany is a village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton on the Tihany Peninsula. ... Budapest (pronounced BOO-dah-pesht, IPA ), the capital city of Hungary and the countrys principal political, industrial, commercial and transportation centre, has more than 1. ...

Further famous secondary schools in Hungary

• Piarista Gimnázium
• Fazekas Mihály Gimnázium
• Apáczai Csere János Gimnázium
• Trefort Ágoston Gimnázium
• Radnóti Gimnázium
• Patrona Hungariae
• Sárospatak
• Fasori Gimnázium

Sárospatak is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary. ... Fasori Gimnázium (lit. ...

External links

• Archabbey of Pannonhalma (http://www.bences.hu/en)
• Catholic Encyclopedia entry (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09734c.htm)
• UNESCO description (http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=758&l=en)
• Description & pictures (http://www.cryingvoice.com/Picture_5.html)
• Description & pictures (http://www.hungary.com/servlet/page?_pageid=7056,6177&_dad=portal30&_schema=PORTAL30) (Hungary.com)
• Pannonhalma, letter of privileges of Pannonhalma (http://mek.oszk.hu/01900/01955/html/index279.html) (The Vazul-line: Kings of the Árpád dynasty after St. Stephen (1038—1301))