Melk Abbey
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What's on here
Martinsumzug | Musikschule Region Schallaburg
Wednesday · All day
Adventsingen in der Stiftskirche
Sunday · All day
Musik und Wort im Advent
Saturday · All day
Why go
- The view over the Danube from the granite rock the abbey stands on.
- The replica of the Melk cross, part of the treasury, which dominates the east façade.
Don't miss
- Abbey ChurchThe 200-foot dome and twin towers; the vault frescoes are by Johann Michael Rottmayr.Dominates the abbey complex.
- Marble HallPilasters coated in red marble, with a richly painted allegorical ceiling by Paul Troger.Inside the abbey.
- LibraryTwo floors high, with about 85,000 volumes and a ceiling fresco by Paul Troger.Inside the abbey.
- KaisergangA 200-metre corridor decorated with portraits of Austrian rulers.Inside the abbey.
- Emperors' staircaseLeads to the state wing and the imperial apartments; a cartouche bears the motto Constantia et Fortitudine.Inside the abbey.
Know before you go
- Open every day from 09:00 to 17:00.
- The ticket gives access to the former Imperial guest rooms and the abbey museum.
- Special exhibitions are included in the ticket.
- Tickets are sold at the booth on the south side of the abbey.
- Visitors can spend some time in the monastery to experience its rhythm of life.
Legends and hidden details
- In 2019 a researcher found a parchment strip with 60 lines of Der Rosendorn.
- In 1014 Henri Ier had the remains of Saint Coloman brought to the abbey.
- The church is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, though Coloman is the abbey's patron.
- The inscription on the pediment reads Absit gloriari nisi in cruce.
- Johann Georg Albrechtsberger was organist of the abbey before he became Vienna cathedral conductor.
- The brothers Bernhard and Hieronymus Pez made lasting contributions to historical research.
Services and visiting hours
- Worship services
- Times are given in the monastery's calendar
Interesting facts6
-
Benedictine monks still live in the abbey, so it is more than a museum or a school.
History | Stift Melk -
Patrick Leigh Fermor called it the climax of his walking tour in A Time of Gifts.
Melk Abbey - Wikipedia -
Umberto Eco named a character Adso of Melk as a tribute to the abbey.
Melk Abbey - Wikipedia -
1000
Its library still holds the rule book the first monks brought, now over 1000 years old.
History | Stift Melk -
2007
A 10 euro commemorative coin minted in 2007 used the abbey as its main motif.
Melk Abbey - Wikipedia -
The abbey's coat of arms shows two crossed golden keys on blue.
Abbaye de Melk - Wikipedia
Shorts
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Danube boat ride to Melk Abbey Monastery Medieval Benedictine Europea…trendingwwwandw
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Melk Abbey, Austria 🇦🇹: A Baroque Masterpiece Above the DanubeCivitopia
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MELK ABBEYCes Daily Life
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Melk Abbey - baroque garden ➡️ Travel in Austria.Moravian Travelers
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Melk Abbey A Majestic Jewel of European ArchitectureManSi Li
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Melk Abbey! Most prettiest Church in AustriaTravel and Life
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Melk Abbey | Stift Melk 🇦🇹 Austria music: Matthew Lawrence FaklerPoli Palian #PalianSHOW
History
In the early 15th century the Melk Reform began here and spread across Austria and into the Black Forest. Berthold Dietmayr became abbot in 1700 and began the rebuilding with the architect Jakob Prandtauer in 1702. Under Joseph II the theological school was closed in 1783, yet the abbey escaped the dissolution that closed many Austrian abbeys.
- 1089Margrave Leopold II of Babenberg gives the church and fortress to abbot Sigibold, and monks from Lambach move in.
- 1297A fire destroys almost all the buildings; the annals and the Melk Song of the Virgin Mary survive.
- Early 15th centuryA council at Konstanz decides on a reform of Benedictine monasteries, starting at Melk.
- 1702Rebuilding of the present abbey begins to designs by Jakob Prandtauer.
- 1738A fire destroys the roofs and both towers; Josef Munggenast rebuilds the towers and the octagonal dome.
Show all
- 1746The new abbey church is consecrated.
- 1938After the Anschluss, the state confiscates the school and much of the abbey.
- TodayBenedictine monks still live here. The school, back in the abbey after the war, has nearly 900 pupils.
Accessibility
- Step-free access from the guest parking lot to the monastery The guest parking lot offers barrier-free access to the monastery.
- Guest parking Some spaces have charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles.
Sources: Melk Abbey - Wikipedia · Melk - Wikivoyage (see) · Stift Melk | Stift Melk · History | Stift Melk · FAQs - Frequently asked questions about the mon… · Stift Melk - Wikipedia · Abbaye de Melk - Wikipedia · checked 25 Oct 2026
- Website
- stiftmelk.at/
- Phone
- 004327525550
Questions and answers
What are the opening hours of Melk Abbey?
Melk Abbey is open every day of the week from 09:00 to 17:00.
Where can I park at Melk Abbey?
A guest parking lot offers barrier-free access to the monastery. Some of its spaces have charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles, and bicycle parking is also available.
How do I get from the station to Melk Abbey?
Signed ways lead from the abbey to the train station and to the ship station. The abbey stands roughly midway between Vienna and Linz.
Is Melk Abbey accessible for visitors with reduced mobility?
Yes, the guest parking lot offers barrier-free access to the monastery. The abbey church and the library are named as the main highlights of a visit.
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