Heiligenkreuz Abbey

Founded in 1133 by Margrave Leopold III of Austria, Heiligenkreuz is one of the oldest continuously occupied Cistercian monasteries in the world, with monks living and worshipping there without interruption for nearly nine centuries. It is located in the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) in Lower Austria.

The abbey contains a relic of the True Cross (Heiligen Kreuz), brought to the monastery in the 12th century, from which the monastery takes its name. Its 13th-century chapter house is a significant example of the transition from Romanesque to early Gothic architecture.

In 2008, the Cistercian monks of Heiligenkreuz released 'Chant: Music for Paradise,' an album of Gregorian chant that became a commercial hit in Europe and reached the top of classical charts. The recording contract was awarded after the monks won an international competition organized by a major record label.

Yes, the abbey is open to visitors and also houses the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Benedikt XVI Heiligenkreuz, a pontifical university that is the only Cistercian-run theological faculty in the German-speaking world. Guided tours cover the church, cloister, and chapter house.