⛪ Melk Abbey
Austria
About This Sacred Site
Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey perched on a rocky bluff above the Danube River in Lower Austria's Wachau Valley. Originally a castle of the Babenberg dynasty, it was given to Benedictine monks in 1089. The present Baroque complex, designed by Jakob Prandtauer, was built between 1702 and 1736 and features a magnificent library, marble hall, and church with trompe-l'oeil frescoes. The abbey inspired Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose.
Key Facts
- •The current Baroque structure was built between 1702 and 1736 by architect Jakob Prandtauer
- •The abbey library holds over 100,000 volumes including 1,888 manuscripts
- •Inspired the fictional monastery in Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose
- •The abbey church's frescoes by Johann Michael Rottmayr create the illusion of an open sky
- •Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Wachau Cultural Landscape
Location
Coordinates: 48.2277, 15.3320
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