Melk Things to Do Tips by dinhyen

The chapel

The interior is the most lavish I have ever seen. Of note are the amazing altar, the fantastic dome, and the glorious ceiling murals.

The chapel dome

Unfortunately my wide-angle lens is a little on the narrow side so I couldn't capture more of this spectacular dome and arched ceiling.

Stift Melk

The Benedictine Abbey is the principal reason for visiting Melk, and what a reason it is! This stupendous baroque masterpiece is amazing on the outside, and even more stunning inside. This place is fit for a king. A visit here will turn you into a fan-for-life of baroque architecture and decorative art.

The abbey stands on the site of a castle, which was given to Benedictine monks on 1089 by Leopold II. Subsequent monarchs bestowed the abbey with treasures and relics. The present abbey was constructed 1702-1736 based on a design by Jakob Prandtauer.

The spiral staircase II

Here's another look at the staircase in faded, desaturated colors.

The spiral staircase

While the rest of the abbey is magnificent, the painted "Nautilus" staircases steal the show. I could see two, on both sides of the chapel, but there may be more. Unfortunately one cannot climb them. A mirror below the staircase highlights its striking painted underside. Photos of the staircases are my favorites from this trip :)

View of the town

The outdoor balcony on the second floor offers an excellent view of the picturesque town below, nestled along a gentle curve of the Danube.

The garden

Admission to the garden is included with the admission to the abbey, or you can purchase admission to the garden alone. This is a quiet park with many tree-shaded lanes and benches, but otherwise it's unremarkable. Oddly, in front of the pavilion there are a few steel-and-iron modern arts sculptures which are completely out of character with the rest of the abbey. I'm not a fan of ugly modern arts so I didn't show it here.

The library

Throughout its history, the abbey has been connected with a school. This may be the most magnificent library anywhere.