梅尔克修道院

列车还没到梅尔克火车站呢，就能看到梅尔克修道院的建筑，看起来真壮大。我们原来打算把行李放在火车站的存放柜，但不巧没有空的柜子。没办法，拖着行李，向修道院方向走。中途找不到能放行李的合适的地方，只好拖到修道院来了，在修道院门口售票处对面正好有存放柜，于是放下行李参观去了。内部大厅和书库等很不错。但最夺目是其教堂，规模不算很大，可里面金色耀眼，非常华丽，我很少看过这么华丽的教堂。我以为修道院是比较俭朴的地方，然而，修道院教堂竟然这么华丽，这让我有点意外。另外，旁边的花园和树林是散步的好地方，有时间的话，在这里走一走也不错。

巴洛克的建筑物算是宏伟的,依山伴水的处于 Wachau Valley 中景色更美,青翠的葡萄园告诉我们今年会有好收成,多瑙河上的游船荡漾在平静的绿波上,山丘上的各式古堡,点缀出当年贵族豪华权势的生活,修士们在此环境中,更该修得正果吧?

冬天去的，修道院门外的雪景非常漂亮有如童话世界，修道院面积挺大的，有专人讲解，里面的藏书楼，天文馆值得一看，比较有趣的是盘旋楼梯底下有一面镜子，一边下楼梯一边可以看到自己，教堂里面的雕像更是金碧辉煌，值得一去。

Four of us found the incredible find over the internet before we travelled to Europe. We took a one hour guided tour then attended Mass at the Abbey. For those of you that are history buffs, please don't miss the amazing site. I've never seen such a large, beautiful abbey. Very well organized for the tourists and lots to view. Our tour was only 45 euro per couple which was money well spent.

Giant abbey ... looks beautiful! Especially the library was great!!! If you are on holiday in Melk - visit it!

The abbey is spectacular and it doesn't take long to see it. We booked an english tour, which lasted about 1 hour. We visited in February and there were only 4 people on the tour so we could admire the abbey without the crowds. However, the abbey has also a garden which we could not enjoy in this time of the year.

Loved visiting the monastery in Melk. We took the 11am tour in English and the guide was very nice - she explained well the place and was open to questions by us. It was a small group of only 5 people which made it even better. The monastery is really lovely inside, although I would have loved to see a bit more. There is a lovely historical part that takes you to see some interesting artefacts of the monastery and you also get the chance to see over the village on the top viewing place. Next is the lovely library and then followed by the Church. It was a lovely tour - which lasted about an hour - but honestly would have loved to see a bit more of the place. Would recommend buying the liquor at the gift shop - they are actually quite good and made by people at the monastery themselves. Price for the tour was Euro 12 - well worth it, but just wished it was a bit longer as would have loved to see a bit more of the place!!

Melk Abbey overlooks the Danube River from a rocky outcropping. It was founded in 1089 but the Baroque building seen today was built between 1702 and 1736. The Crossed Keys above the entrance, and throughout, are the Keys of St. Peter. They indicate that the abbey is under the direct control of the pope, not the local town. The entrance courtyard holds statues on the roofs and unusual cosmos paintings. The cupola is topped by a golden double patriarchal cross, that has many different symbolic meanings. The first room holds religious articles behind heavy plexiglass to keep them from being touched. Ostentatious gold plated figures & paintings fill the space. Note the Melk Cross considered the most precious treasure. The Marble Hall is absolutely gorgeous with its gold columns, ceiling fresco, & marble floor. The library contains the largest medieval collection in the world. The most important room is the church as shown by the gold figures and columns along the walls & at the altar. The tour is self-guiding but it would really help to have someone knowledgeable available to ask questions. Or, look up this abbey before you go so you are prepared for what you are seeing. The wealth of the abbey is overwhelming. Picture taking is allowed, but I believe the flash has to be turned off.

Our tour started in the courtyard, which had incredible artwork at four different points. There was also a great-looking clock. After this introduction, our guide, Christine, took us into a several-room museum. Each room was lighted differently and contained various artifacts, all photo-worthy. We weren't allowed to take pictures in the library. We went outside onto a terrace that provided a place to photograph the town and surrounding area. There were no stained-glass windows in the abbey, but the carvings and artwork were spectacular. We walked back to our ship through the town of Melk, which was interesting and quite photogenic. Unfortunately, my camera was on the fritz, and all my pictures were badly overexposed.

We stopped in Melk on our drive along the Danube We were not disappointed. This enormous structure dominates the landscape from every direction and is even more impressive close up. Although it is an Abbey, this is no structure supporting the belief of self sacrifice and poverty. This is an awesome ( in the true sense of the word ) architectural masterpiece and is not to be missed. Note - there are some areas where you cannot take photos

The great abbey on the dnube, Melk abbey is great and beautiful. You must check the guide timetable to visit this.

We visited Melk Abbey when travelling from Romania to Bavaria by car and a good friend of us recommended this place as a really cool stop. I must say I didn't know anything about this abbey till that moment. The surprise was absolutely great!!! It was much more than what expected. This place must not be missed! You won't regret any second spent here.

The word "Abbey" had lead me to believe that this was going to be a simple structure for people who were sworn to poverty. Was I ever wrong! This building has a lot of history, but it is steeped in beautiful architecture, artifacts, and the library. You're allowed to take pictures in the museum and in the chapel, but not in the library which was disappointing. While you might think that it wouldn't have done any good to take pictures in your local library (and I agree), this is an amazing library with wonderful architectural detail and works that would have been wonderful to record for memory on my camera. I'm not sure what the Abbey is worried about in the photography as long as the flash is off, which of course it should be around any document or painting). I'm hoping the Abbey management realizes that old museums prohibited photography because indoor shots required flash photography. They are behind the times as anyone shooting digital with the capacity to shoot indoor museum or cathedral shots has the sensitivity to capture images without flash. Flash should, of course, be prohibited as that bright flash can damage documents and works of art. But we had just left the Louvre in Paris and even they allow non-flash photography in the entire museum, even including of the Mona Lisa and all the fabulous Italian masters. If the Louvre allows non-flash photography, then if anyone in Austria is reading reviews, then please leap into the modern age and allow non-flash photography in the museum and library. The visit is well worth the trip even if they aren't up to date on modern museum policy, but it was disappointing to be told I couldn't capture any pictures in the beautiful library. By the way, just before you go in the library, you are out on a balcony that overlooks the valley of the Danube and that view is worth the visit as it looks down the valley to the Danube and a private castle across the Danube a couple of miles down the Danube.

If you are traveling to Salzburg from Vienna or you are touring throughout the Danube river, this magnificent abbey deserves a visit. It will be your life time (never forget) detour.

What a wonderful museum with outstanding artifacts in a building that has so much history. The views are great but once you step into the library you are in another world. You end the tour in the chapel which is just stunningly beautiful.