Stift Melk/Melk Abbey, A golden marvel overlooking the Danube

Abt Berthold Dietmayr Strasse 1 (translated to English)

The architecture of this monastery is very abundant

4.5

Introduction

Melk is a beautiful town located 80 kilometers from Vienna, on the right bank of the Danube River in the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO world heritage site. Melk Abbey is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1089, with Baroque architecture built between 1702 and 1736. The abbey is renowned for its exquisite frescoes and countless medieval manuscripts, with significant academic value. The abbey was fortunate to avoid the fate of being dissolved by Emperor Joseph II during the extensive dissolution of Austrian monasteries and survived Napoleon's destruction. In the 1938 merger between Germany and Austria, some schools and the monastery were transferred to state ownership. Melk Abbey and the entire Wachau Valley were listed as a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Address

Abt Berthold Dietmayr Strasse 1 (translated to English)

Opening hours

April to October: 9:00-17:30, self-guided or guided tours available. From November to March, guided tours are the only option at 11am and 2pm.

Transportation

Inter-city: The railway departs from Vienna Train Station (Hbf) to Melk, taking about 1 hour depending on the train model, but a transfer at St. Pölten Train Station (Hbf) is required in between, then walking from the train station to the monastery. For more information, please consult the Austrian Federal Railways website at www.oebb.at.

Phone 02752-5550

Website http://www.stiftmelk.at/englisch/index.html