Hungary introduces new commemorative coin honouring 800 years of Pannonhalma Archabbey
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On 28 August 2024, the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) issued a new commemorative coin in honour of the Pannonhalma Archabbey, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Issuance of the coin marks an important date
The release of the new forint coin marks the 800th anniversary of the abbey church’s medieval reconstruction and consecration, as well as the 10th anniversary of its designation as a national heritage site, Pénzcentrum reports. The 3,000-forint coin is part of a larger series that showcases Hungary’s national heritage sites, which was initiated in 2014 by the National Heritage Institute. The Pannonhalma Archabbey coin was designed by artist Balázs Bitó.
The Pannonhalma Archabbey is one of Hungary’s most important spiritual and cultural centres and is regarded as the cradle of Hungarian Christianity. Its thousand-year-old school and one of the largest monastic libraries in the world are located here. Established in 996 by Prince Géza in honour of St. Martin of Tours, the monastery’s church was first consecrated around 1003.
Over the centuries, it was rebuilt multiple times due to fire and war. The current church, restored in 1224, stands as a rare example of medieval architecture, still in use today for monastic prayer. Pannonhalma was officially declared a national heritage site in 2014.
The commemorative Pannonhalma Archabbey coin
The coin commemorating the Pannonhalma Archabbey is the 11th in a series featuring Hungary’s national heritage sites. The series follows a consistent design principle: one side of each coin features an image representing the entire heritage site, while the other side highlights a characteristic detail of the site. The Pannonhalma coin exemplifies this design.