Stop point - Ják
The Abbey of St George of Jaak was founded around 1220 by Martin the Great of Jaak (Marthinus Magnus de Jaak), and the teplom was consecrated in 1256. The lined doorway of the church is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture in Hungary. The monastery, which belonged to the abbey and was destroyed in the second half of the 16th century, was inhabited by Benedictine monks. The Ják family died out in the middle of the 15th century and the building became the property of the Elderbach Berchtold family and later of the Erdődy family. The church, which had been damaged several times over the centuries, was restored between 1896 and 1904 by the National Commission for Monuments. The four-aisled, two-storey chapel of St James was built around 1250-1606. It was the village church for as long as it was used by the monks. In the Middle Ages, the building also served as a shelter for pilgrims. In the house near the church there is an exhibition of local history. The collection presents documents on the history of the construction of the church in Jaki and the village's past.
Attractions:
- St George's Abbey Church
The church of Ják, the monumental basilica of the former Benedictine Abbey of Ják, is an outstanding, almost symbolic work of Romanian architecture in Hungary. It is the only surviving intact representative of the Hungarian medieval monasteries of the clan, which attracts attention with its artistic richness and its masterly placement in the landscape.
Its stylistic features suggest that it was founded around 1220 and consecrated in 1256 in honour of Saint George. During its construction, the plans may have been altered several times, as evidenced by the various irregularities. It has a turbulent history: damaged by fire, storm and the Ottoman army, it has had to be restored several times. The last major rebuilding took place between 1896 and 1904, based on plans by Frigyes Schulek.
Its most famous feature is the inwardly recessed, multi-sectioned main entrance, decorated with Norman motifs, above which Jesus is depicted in the tympanum with angels and apostles.
Opposite the main façade of the church is a small chapel, the Chapel of St James, which was the medieval church of Jac, as the monastic church was not allowed to function as a parish.
- St James' Chapel
Since medieval monastic churches were not allowed to have parish functions, a separate church was built for the village. The chapel of St James in Jáka fulfilled this role.
The chapel's decoration is far inferior to that of the nearby church. The ornamentation here consists of spherical window ornaments and a doorway similar in design to the abbey church. Above the entrance, again, the Lamb of God and dragons biting themselves are depicted. All this makes it clear that the chapel was also built by the men of the workshop that made the church and dates from around 1250.
Its high altar was made around 1770, and the two angels on it are from the high altar of the abbey church. An 18th century statue of the Good Shepherd was also brought from the pulpit to the chapel.
- Jaki Local History Museum
The building was already the residence of the new titular abbots of the abbey, which was already a secular abbey without a monastic community. It was built in the late 18th century. Before that, the residential tower of the Ják clan was built here in the 13th century. The excavated floor plan of the former residential tower has been used to create a stone wall detail on the corner of the present building to give a sense of its position. This is clearly visible when approaching the museum from the entrance. Also very cleverly, stones built into the flooring inside the building show the location of the Árpád tower. The wooden flooring also incorporates the very first 18th-century floor plan of the house, with a different pattern of wooden flooring. All these solutions are striking and make it easy to imagine the previous conditions.
The wall paintings in the rooms are based on the original painting remains.
Accommodation:
- Jaki Tourist House
Address: 9798 Ják, Szabadság tér
(36) 94 321-436
E-mail: takep2000@t-email.hu
- 97 97 Ják, 36 36 Ják Street, 36 36 Ják Street
Address: 9798 Ják, Szabadnép u. 32.
Tel.: (36) 70 613-74-30
E-mail: nagy-tamas@optanet.hu
- Guest room - Ferenc Saly
Address: 9798 Ják, Széchenyi u. 10.
- Guest room - Mrs Ernő Tóth
Address: 9798 Ják, Széchenyi u. 16.
Tel.: (36) 94 356-305
For more information about the settlement, please visit www.jak.hu
- Ják
