Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec
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Tyniec is, frankly speaking, not much to write home about, apart from one absolute treasure: the Benedictine Abbey. Perched on a calcite hill overlooking the Vistula River, the Abbey is a place full of contrasts. Here, peace and quiet merge with modernity, entrepreneurship and progress.
The beginnings of the Abbey date back to the 11th century, when its rules were first established and are adhered to also today, in the Internet age. It’s hard to believe that the quiet monks can reconcile their prayers with visits of thousands of tourists. They will always stop to say hello, have a chat and even give advice about life, faith, but also about tourist attractions. As they themselves say, people not only need prayers and retreats, but simply quiet and the opportunity to get away from the urban hustle and bustle as well.
The Benedictines run a guest house which can accommodate 89 tourists at a time. Of course, guests are not allowed to visit every nook and cranny of the facility, there are separate areas exclusively for the monks, so that their solitude is protected. The comfortable guest house is not the only possible accommodation. If you are all in for trying a monk’s life over the weekend, there is the modest Opatówka with simply furnished rooms. The absolute highlight of the place is the surrounding nature: the view of the river and the fields and hills stretching as far as the eye can reach.
However, despite its historic roots, the Benedictine Abbey is keeping pace with the times. The monks have signed up to accommodation portals like HRS and booking.com. The Abbey also introduced its own brand “The Benedictine Products” into the market. All their products are organic and prepared according to traditional recipes. The brand offers natural food suitable for various groups of consumers, including vegetarians, people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. The brand also offers cosmetics, medicines, herbs, dietary supplements and books. The Benedictines also organize calligraphy workshops, which is considered the best way to de-stress and get into a meditative state of mind. The monks would be also happy to show you around the museum of the Abbey.
The Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec is just 13 km from the centre of Krakow and it’s a piece of cake to get there. Take any tram from Dworzec Główny (the Main Station) to the stop Centrum Kongresowe, and then hop on bus 112, which heads directly to the centre of Tyniec.