Monastery

The abbey and church of Ják is devoted to Saint George, and was founded around 1220, by Márton Nagy Jáki (Comes Marthinus Magnus), a Hungarian nobleman. Its abbot was first mentioned in a source in 1223, and it is known that the church was consecrated in 1256 by the bishop of Győr. The monastery supposedly burnt down before 1331.Thomas Bakócz, archbishop of Esztergom, and the Erdődy family, were amongst its possessors, and in 1532 Ják was damaged and set ablaze by the Turks. However, it was not probably desolated in 1562 by the monks. In 1566, the complex was set on fire again. Due to these fires, most of the buildings of the complex were unfortunately demolished, excluding the iconic basilica and the smaller round-church in front of it.  The Iconic basilica is monumental, has three naves, and has semi-circular apses. It is known today as the church of Ják, and is one of the earliest and symbolic still standing Romanesque churches in Hungary. According the plans and design of the church it had many phases and it bears the traces of renovations from 1660 and 1896-1904. Therefore nowadays, it stands in its 13^th century form with medieval and Baroque frescos inside. Ják is also famous for its gate, which is decorated with Norman motifs. The house of the abbot, which is located next to the church, was probably the residence of the Ják family during the middle ages. The Chapel of Saint Jacob Chapel which is also present at the site, served as the medieval parish church from around 1250. Although the monastery is not there anymore, the church is active, and it is used for exhibitions.