Zirc, Damjanich u. 19.
GPS: N47°15,695'; E17°52,688'

Open to visitors:
15th March - 30th April  9 am - 5 pm
1st May - 31st August  9 am - 7 pm
1st September - 15th November  9 am - 5 pm

Entrance fee:
Adult  600,- HUF
Discounted  500,- HUF
Child (4-14)  300,- HUF

Discounted:
EU citizen full-time student
pedagogue
pensioner
Free entrance: 1 guide/group, handicapped persons
Tel.: +36 88/414-569, +36 87/555-291

The Cistercian order, settled down in 1182 in Zirc, established the highest located living tree-collection of our country. The visitors can enjoy the variety of colours and forms of six hundred species and varieties of shrub or tree. The Cuha Stream crosses the arboretum, nurturing a little pond at the main entrance. Apart from the here swimming wild-ducks the flight and sound of many kinds of birds can be observed walking on the trails

The arboretum has been a nature conservation area under national protection since 1951. A playground awaits children and at both entrances there is a possibility to buy publications, souvenirs and ornamental shrubbery  (the second entrance is situated at the junction Győr-Dudar, opposite the supermarket).

A new nature trail was open in 2008 May in the Arboretum, describing the history of the Arboretum, listing some of the most important international nature protection agreements and depicting many species living in the park and in the Bakony Mountains; with information boards in Hungarian and English. Some interactive elements make the nature trail even more interesting.

The tree garden collection is not a preserved part of the Ancient Bakony Mountains, but the creation of foresighted people. The predecessor of the 20-hectare arboretum was founded by the Cistercian Abbacy in the 1750s. Today?s botanic garden was developed from the onetime landscape garden.
Managed by the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate, as the highest-lying arboretum in Hungary, retained in the best state of preservation of all landscape type parks, it still reflects the conceptions of its creators.

In the 1750s deforestation took place near the monastery, however, the now nearly 400 year-old and still alive pedunculate oak was preserved. The stone fence on Köztársaság Road was built in 1754. The stone bridge of Cuha Stream running across the garden was built in 1759. The 350 m long lime-tree alley was planted in 1809. The alley follows the track of the onetime Roman military road between Lake Balaton and the contemporary town of Győr. A new bed was dug for Cuha Stream in 1855.

The waterfall and the bower, where chamber concerts have been organized since 1930, were constructed in the same year.

Besides the domestic tree species and other plants the area of the arboretum has by now become a collection of trees and herbs from five continents of the world which prosper in the microclimate of the Bakony Mountains at 400 m above seal level. The arboretum accommodates about 600 tree and shrub species and varieties, 70 of which are conifers. The maple collection, the richest in species comprising about 30 species and varieties, is estimable. The oak collection containing 14 species is also worthy of appreciation.

The memorial place of the park, founded in 1934 by abbot Remig Békefy, historian of civilization, and the statue of St Bernard are monuments of cultural history. Few people know that king Andrew I died in Zirc, to the noble memory of whom a statue inaugurated in 2005 has been erected.
The purpose of the botanic garden is to preserve its landscape garden style, its layout, plant population and its nature as a collection, its biological diversity and monuments of cultural history, and to demonstrate the garden design style and the plants of the Bakony floristic region.

Management:
+36-87/555-260
Fax: +36-87/555-261
bfnp@bfnp.kvvm.hu 

Department of Tourism and Education:
programmes, stage, press:+36-87/555-289 dr. Annamária Kopek
guided tours, website: +36-87/555-291 Erika Józsa
education, open-air school, nature trails: +36-87/555-290 Szilárd Somlai

The area of the Bakony-Balaton Geopark being developed in the region includes this exhibition site and its surrounding as well. Further information here: