Melk Abbey

The current Baroque structure of Melk Abbey was designed by architect Jakob Prandtauer and built between 1702 and 1736. The site, however, has housed a Benedictine monastery since its original founding in 1089, making it one of the longest continuously occupied religious houses in Austria.

Yes, Melk Abbey is open to visitors and is one of Austria's most popular tourist attractions, offering guided tours of its imperial rooms, library, and church. It sits on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube River in Lower Austria, roughly 80 kilometers west of Vienna, and is a frequent stop for Danube river cruises traveling through the Wachau Valley.

Melk Abbey's library houses approximately 100,000 volumes, including a significant collection of medieval manuscripts and early printed books. The library hall, with its ornate ceiling frescoes by Paul Troger, is considered one of the finest examples of Baroque library architecture in the world.

Yes, Melk Abbey remains an active Benedictine monastery with a community of monks living and working there continuously since 1089. The abbey also operates a school, the Stiftsgymnasium Melk, which has been in operation since the 12th century and is one of the oldest continuously operating schools in the German-speaking world.