An exhibition marking the 100-year history of Tihany lavender opened on Friday in the Lake Balaton village, in the building that became home to the peninsula’s first lavender shop in 2009.
“The lavender has a story behind it,” said Zsolt Nyárádi, founder of the Tihanyi Levendula Manufaktúra (Tihany Lavender Manufactory). He recalled that in 1926, exactly one hundred years ago, herbal researcher and essential oil producer Gyula Bittera leased land from the Benedictine Abbey of Tihany and established Hungary’s first industrial lavender plantation using propagation material brought from France.
Nyárádi noted that the persistent and dedicated work of the Gyula Bittera Foundation was also essential in rediscovering, documenting, preserving and restoring recognition to this once-forgotten heritage.
During the centenary celebrations, the Benedictine Abbey of Tihany and the Tihany Lavender Manufactory signed a new cooperation agreement. Nyárádi described it as a symbolic handshake between centuries-old Benedictine knowledge and contemporary professional innovation.
The partnership also gave rise to Sacra Botanika, a new brand inspired by the thousand-year-old Benedictine tradition of medicinal plants, the century-old legacy of Tihany lavender and the botanical richness of the peninsula.
In his welcome address, Prior Norbert Jeromos Mihályi of Tihany emphasized that social responsibility has long been an integral part of Benedictine life, with the community striving to engage beyond the monastery walls and work together with local residents and entrepreneurs.
He said this tradition continues today through the creation of a new brand that combines creativity with the enduring heritage of lavender and medicinal herbs.
Tihany Mayor Balázs Kötél highlighted that the names of Tihany and lavender have become inseparable over the past century.
“May this centenary inspire us to honour Tihany’s past, care for its community and continue working together responsibly for the future,” he said.
The exhibition presents the cultural history of lavender, its role in essential oil and perfume production, and the process through which a local product evolved into an internationally recognised symbol of quality.
Over the past 15 years, the Tihany Lavender Manufactory has contributed to preserving this heritage through extensive archival and museum research, the work of the Gyula Bittera Foundation, and the permanent exhibition at the House of Fragrances.
According to the event’s press release, the newly launched Sacra Botanika brand combines the sacred traditions of monastic herbal culture, the natural richness of the Tihany Peninsula and modern quality standards, with Tihany lavender serving as its flagship product.
(MTI)
