Carmelite Abbey of Banfalva - Sopron

The Carmelite Abbey of Banfalva is situated in the suburb os Sopron, once called Sopronbanfalva, on a forest area, high on a hill. It was originally built as an Abbey of the Order of Saint Paul, at the end of the 15th century. During the 1530's, a Turkish legion en route to Vienna left it in ruins. It was renovated a century later, then serving as a noviciate. When the order was dismissed during the 18th century, the abbey was converted into a garrison hospital, and the church building remained unused until 1827, when the Catholic church bought it back, renovated it, and gave it to the Carmelite Order. During the communist era, it served as a parish, to be discontinued in 2002.
The abbey is now out of use, visitors may admire its Baroque staircase ornamented with soft limestone statues, the beautiful interior and pretty furnishings.