Melk, Lower Austria, Austria
Melk Abbey
A Benedictine abbey perched on a rocky bluff above the Danube in Austria, whose golden Baroque church and magnificent library are among the finest examples of monastic architecture in Europe.
You see it from miles away — a massive ochre-and-white complex sitting on a cliff above the Danube, with twin towers and a dome rising above the roofline. It looks more like a palace than a monastery, which is partly the point. Abbot Berthold Dietmayr commissioned Jakob Prandtauer to rebuild the medieval abbey in the early 1700s, and what Prandtauer created is the Austrian Baroque at its most confident. The church interior is a single nave covered in gold leaf, brown marble, frescoes, and stucco, with ceiling paintings by Johann Michael Rottmayr depicting St. Benedict's entry into heaven. The high altar, framed by gilded columns, shows Peter and Paul preparing for martyrdom — an unusual subject that gives the composition a somber energy despite all the gold. The abbey library, which you pass through on the way to the church, holds eighty-five thousand volumes behind carved walnut shelving, with ceiling frescoes representing the cardinal virtues. Umberto Eco used this abbey as inspiration for his novel The Name of the Rose, though the connection is more atmospheric than literal. The monks still run a school here, as they have for centuries. The terrace looking out over the Danube valley is one of those views that makes you understand why someone would choose to stay in one place for a lifetime.
Diocese: Diocese of St. Pölten
Style: Austrian Baroque
What to See
The tour route takes you through the Imperial Corridor, decorated with portraits of Austrian rulers, then into the library. The library is jaw-dropping — two tall rooms of floor-to-ceiling carved shelving with gilt details, spiral staircases, and ceiling paintings by Paul Troger. You cannot touch the books, but you can see medieval manuscripts in display cases. The church is the final room on the tour. Stand under the dome and look up at Rottmayr's swirling heaven, then look at the high altar with its unusual martyrdom scene. The side chapels have good altarpieces. The terrace and balcony overlooking the Danube should not be rushed — the view includes the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO-listed wine region.
Pilgrim Notes
Melk is about an hour west of Vienna by train, on the main line to Salzburg. The abbey is a short uphill walk from the train station. There is an admission fee for the tour; guided tours are available in several languages. The church is free during Mass. Mass is celebrated daily by the monastic community, and the liturgy is sung beautifully. The Wachau Valley between Melk and Krems is a popular day trip — you can take a boat downriver after your visit. The abbey shop sells wine, honey, and other products made by the monks. The town of Melk is small and pleasant, with a few good restaurants.