Melk Abbey

Melk Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on a rocky outcrop above the town of Melk in Lower Austria, founded as a monastic site in 1089 and famous for its Baroque ensemble.

The complex is dominated by an ornate Baroque church and a richly decorated monastic library with large painted ceilings and carved shelving produced during an early 18th-century rebuilding. The abbey terraces and entrance courts offer direct views down onto the Danube valley.

The present Baroque buildings were erected mainly in the early 1700s under architect Jakob Prandtauer, with interior decoration by artists such as Paul Troger; the site has served continuously as a Benedictine abbey and an educational institution since its medieval foundation.

The abbey sits on a promontory above the Danube in the town of Melk within the Wachau region of Lower Austria, overlooking the river and the surrounding terraced vineyards.

• Guided tours: Guided tours typically cover the church, library and principal state rooms and are the standard way to see the interior safely and with context.
• Best viewpoints: Views over the Danube and the Wachau valley are best from the abbey terraces and the imperial staircase, especially in clear weather.

What to See #

• Abbey church: Baroque abbey church with a high dome and fresco decoration executed during the 18th-century rebuilding; the church remains the liturgical centre of the monastic complex.
• Library: Historic monastic library notable for its ornate carved shelves and painted ceiling scenes dating from the early 18th century; the library houses the abbey's older manuscripts and printed collections.
• Imperial staircase and terraces: Grand imperial staircase and entrance courts created in the early 18th-century remodelling that connect the church, library and guest areas and open onto terraces above the Danube.