Melk Abbey is regarded as one of Europe’s finest monasteries, both in terms of architecture and content. The structure is a massive palatial structure with numerous courtyards and a stunning Baroque church. The Abbey church has a delicately carved high altar and pulpit, as well as a painted ceiling, among its many embellishments.
Visitors should take a step out onto the terrace, which overlooks the Wachau Valley and is an excellent location for photographing the town below.
The monastery’s true wonder is its library, which has a main hall with 16,000 books and a dozen additional rooms with an additional 100,000 books. The main library hall, which features ceiling frescoes by Paul Troger and a spiral staircase leading to the additional rooms, is open to the public. Umberto Eco found inspiration in this stunning setting while writing The Name of the Rose.
North of the Alps, the Abbey Church is regarded as the greatest Baroque structure. It is renowned for its twin towers with helm roofs on top, as well as its magnificent interior with exquisite ceiling paintings from the 18th century. The beautiful choir stalls, confessional chair, wonderfully carved pulpit, and high altar with images of the church’s patron saints, St. Peter and St. Paul, are all remarkable features as well. There are guided tours offered in English.