Tourism Without Commodification at a Hungarian World Heritage Site

Abstract

This study – based on a concrete example of a Hungarian World Heritage site, the Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment – focuses on the topic from the point of view of heritage value, providing attraction and a special experience for visitors without harming local traditions, and contributing to the improvement of the local economic situation, where the outcome is the safeguarding and raising public awareness of the Outstanding Universal Value of a unique site.

1 Introduction

The Millenary Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma (Fig. 30.1) and its natural environment was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1996. It is a great example of how a religious site can positively take part in the development of a monument and its tourism.

Fig. 30.1

The Porta Speciosa of Pannonhalma. (Note: Photo by Lia Bassa, 2016)

The monks manage their own operation, economic life by selling goods and receiving tourists, which shows clearly that these activities do not necessarily mean the commodification of heritage; on the contrary, they can reconcile tourism with their own religious interests by using the income of their activities for the purpose of preservation and the maintenance of their traditions. This is not an innovation, but the Archabbey of Pannonhalma could make its measures sustainable, as they have always been functioning, developing and – at the same time – preserving their values while following their Benedictine conviction.

2 Economy and Heritage

The Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma was founded as the first Hungarian Benedictine monastery in 996, and it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List exactly 1000 years later. The first Benedictine monks went on to convert the Hungarians, found the country’s first school and, in 1055, write the first document in Hungarian. From the time of its founding, this monastic community has promoted culture throughout central Europe. Its 1000-year history can be seen in the succession of architectural styles of the monastic buildings (the oldest dating from 1224), which still house a secondary school and the monastic community. Their archbishop says that they make ventures not only for profit but as part of their “ars poetica” or creed, as it belongs to their mission, and they represent value in themselves.

The economic life in the Archabbey is also a moral issue, originating from spirituality. According to the monasterial tradition, Saint Benedict says that the monks must live from the achievements of their own work (ora et labora). Therefore, step by step, they have built up independent and ecclesiastic ventures to supplement budgetary resources and donations. The core message of their exceptional system is that the preservation of the World Heritage site and the consideration of sociocultural concerns related to tourism can go hand in hand in the so-called commodification process.

The Archabbey manages its life mainly from the income of enterprises that include sacral, charity, cultural and social institutions. The ventures are based on local – Benedictine – characteristics: education, culture, visitors and the products of the Abbey (liquors, teas, lavender, publications and wine cellar).

3 Tourism

In such a religious institution, tourism basically means handling three types of visitors: religious visitors such as monks and pilgrims, tourists interested in experiencing the Abbey’s religious activities and cultural tourists who are interested in the institution’s outstanding attractions. Furthermore, the touristic activities must be well-done and not disturb the everyday life of the monks or the local community, as detailed in the ICOMOS Charter of International Tourism (1999). In each case, the arriving guests – who may also have different cultural backgrounds – must be prepared for the content and purpose of the religious site visit and may also need clothing and behavioural instructions.

The visitors have access to the following attractions:

• 1. an archaeological site and the history of the construction of the Archabbey, the architectural monument of the main church and the other edifices of the Abbey and the “Our Lady Church”;

• 2. the uniquely rich library and the ecclesiastic museum with relics and outstanding historic documents (including the first Hungarian written text);

• 3. the past and present life of the Benedictine order (on film);

• 4. the continuation of educational traditions: the secondary school (its operation can be seen on a film), as well as the transfer of their knowledge for the next generation and equally for the visitors;

• 5. the plantation of herbs (https://pannonhalmifoapatsag.hu/arboretum-es-gyogynovenykert/), their traditional utilisations in the processing plant including a “smelling museum” and a Tea shop with a store for cosmetic, healing products, liquors, chocolates;

• 6. the surrounding flora and fauna of the natural environment (also belonging to the WHS);

• 7. the local traditions of the vineyard (https://bortkostolunk.hu/pinceszet/pannonhalmi-apatsag-pinceszet/): winemaking from the grapes to bottling, including tasting, product exhibition and selling;

• 8. the orchard of the Hospodár garden with an open-air theatre;

• 9. Saint Jacob Pilgrim’s House and Forest Chapel;

• 10. their own restaurant, “Viator”; and

• 11. other enterprises related to the Abbey where they invest workforce, work or money.

The sights are all connected to the basic activities of the historic ecclesiastic commitment of the Benedictine monks to conduct honest and ethical economic activities. The enterprises are owned and operated by them with the intention of continuing the traditional occupations of the order like winemaking, processing of herbs into healthcare products as well as education in their schools including information provision for tourists. Although they obviously earn money by these activities, the selling of goods cannot be called commodification, as the construction of both the production and business segment are strictly serving the traditional occupations of the Benedictine monks.

The vineyard has been revived where it used to be, but wine production is implemented in the most modern way. Nevertheless, the production of traditional types of quality wine is based on the existing descriptions by the Benedictine predecessors. There is a guided tour in the wine cellar, and the products can be tasted either there or in the Abbey’s own restaurant, “Viator”, next to the reception building. Even interesting legends survive: a person is authorised to drink one hemina of wine per day. How much is a hemina? As much as you are gifted to drink with pleasure.

The Hospodár Garden is named after a former chief cook of the Abbey, who started to cultivate the garden and later returned it to the order as a gift. It has a special atmosphere and fine collection of ancient Hungarian fruit varieties and offers the refreshment of a taste of fruit to those who have come here in deep contemplation. In the last decade, the garden has hosted the open-air theatre of the Abbey, as well.

The Saint Jacob Pilgrim’s House and Forest Chapel was built in this century on Kosaras Hill that previously housed the steam laundry of the Abbey. The quiet forest area provides an ideal opportunity for welcoming and hosting guests (pilgrims, families, youth groups) arriving at the Abbey. The chapel cannot be separated from the pilgrim house, as they form an integral spiritual and infrastructural unit. The two buildings offer rest and revitalisation for both the body and the soul of their visitors.

The organisation of visits (partly for controlling and avoiding mass tourism) is also the Abbey’s own venture. The life of the monks and that of the secondary students must not be disturbed; therefore, they cannot be visited. Instead, there are two short films made about them and projected in the reception building after arrival. Then – in order not to disturb the valuable forest but to learn about the flora and the fauna of the World Heritage site – there is a special walking path built for the tourists to reach the entrance of the monument itself.

The World Heritage site management plan of the Abbey maintains their basic cultural (ecclesiastic, touristic) and educational (school) undertakings in line with Strategic Development Goal 4, as well as the environmental protective (park) activities according to SDG 15. They reinvest the significant profit from their entrepreneurial accomplishments for further developments. It is an excellent example of how the spiritual, natural, built and tangible heritage of an ecclesiastic institution, which is a World Heritage site, can be properly organised (Fig. 30.2).

Fig. 30.2

Pannonhalma library. (Note: Image by Lia Bassa, 2016)

4 Conclusion

The World Heritage Convention of 1972 aims to protect unique natural and cultural heritage having an Outstanding Universal Value. However, this value is not only a financially inestimable aesthetic value but must also be made part of the local economic system because the site must be preserved, maintained and made public for the transmission of cultural knowledge for the next generation, as well as for members (visitors) of other cultures. The process of sharing a unique site benefits everyone if knowledge is effectively communicated and visitors respect the presented heritage. In this case study, it can be clearly seen how these values are separated with no populist devaluation of built, tangible or intangible heritage happening due to commercial interest. The result is more than 100,000 visitors/year, guided by the students of the Abbey. In addition to the Sustainable Development Goals mentioned above, they have planned tourism development, a new energy program, advancement of product supply and extension of the herbal program. Moreover, all related activities contribute to the safeguarding of all heritage branches of the 1000-year-old ecclesiastic institution.