The Legend of the Tihany Echo

Tihany is not only famous for its breathtaking views and the Benedictine Abbey, but also for a mysterious natural phenomenon: the echo. Atop Echo Hill stands a stone pillar, known as the Echo Stone. If you shout toward the abbey wall, your voice will bounce back—once, twice, even seven times, according to old tales.

But there's more to it than acoustics. Long ago, Tihany was the name of a golden-haired fairy who sang by the lakeshore each evening while her goats drank from the water. Her voice was so enchanting that even the Lord of the Lake and his son paused to listen. When Tihany learned how much power her songs held, pride overtook her. She declared she would only sing if paid in precious gems.

Desperate to hear her voice again, the lake lord gave her all his treasures. But once the jewels were gone, she sang no more. His son, heartbroken, faded away. They say he was buried beneath Badacsony, which is why the mountain resembles a coffin. In rage, the lake surged, drowning the goats, and the fairy fled to a cave. The waters collapsed the entrance, trapping her inside forever.

The lake god cursed her: from that moment on, whenever someone calls her name, she must answer. And so the Tihany echo was born. Locals say that the small, pinkish stones along the shore are the hooves of the drowned goats—forever rolled ashore by the waves.