Lilienfeld Abbey

Lilienfeld Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in Lilienfeld, Lower Austria, founded in 1202 and continuous as a monastic site since the Middle Ages.

The complex centers on a medieval abbey church and an adjoining cloister; visitors typically focus on the church interior, the cloister walk, and the convent range. The ensemble presents medieval structural work alongside later alterations and liturgical furnishings.

The monastery was established by Duke Leopold VI of Austria and served as a Cistercian convent and local religious center through the medieval and early modern periods. It retained its monastic function across centuries and preserves much of its historic layout.

The abbey sits in the town of Lilienfeld in the Traisental valley of Lower Austria, on the eastern edge of the Alps. It is located in a small market town southwest of Vienna and is accessible by road from regional centers.

• Founding date: Parts of the complex date to the 13th century; the foundation year commonly given is 1202.
• Best viewpoints: The cloister and church interior are the principal viewing points for medieval architecture and surviving monastic fittings.

What to See #

• Abbey church and cloister: The abbey church and monastic complex include a Romanesque-Gothic church dating from the 13th century, a cloister and the convent buildings that form the historic core of the site.
• Monastic buildings: Convent and grounds still used by the Cistercian community, with monastic buildings arranged around the cloister and adjoining service wings.