Abbeys and monasteries in Lower Austria are more than just stone testimonies to history. Surrounded by gardens, forests or high above the Danube, they combine Baroque splendour, quiet cloisters and living spirituality. Visitors here can feel the breath of centuries past – and find spaces for peace, inspiration and encounters.
High above the Wachau region, Göttweig Abbey towers like a heavenly bulwark – often referred to as the "Austrian Montecassino", it is both an UNESCO World Hertige site and a spiritual centre. The Baroque imperial wing with its monumental imperial staircase and ceilingfresco by Paul Troger impresses visitors from all over the world.
Heiligenkreuz Abbey is located around 15 km north-west of Baden near Vienna. The Cistercian abbey was founded almost 900 years ago and is an important stop on the Via Sacra, the "holy road" between Vienna and Mariazell.
A masterpiece of High Baroque: Melk Abbey combines art, faith and education at the highest level. The magnificent abbey library with its ceiling frescoes and the marble hall ensemble are among the great wonders of European Baroque. Whether by train, bike, boat or motorway, your arrival is always a small stage set above the Wachau.
Stift Klosterneuburg towers above the Danube – a spiritual, cultural and architectural powerhouse with medieval roots and baroque splendour. Here, the Verdun Altar (1181) sparkles, redesigned as a winged altar after the fire of 1330 – according to the abbey chronicle, the enamel panels were saved with sacramental wine at the time.
Nestled in a bend of the River Kamp, Zwettl Cistercian Abbey lies hidden in the valley floor; from the plateau, only the granite-grey tower of the high Gothic abbey church is visible at first, but as you descend, the mighty, artistically structured monastery complex with itsRomanesque-Gothic cloister and important abbey library comes into view. All around, the historic gardens – the Kreuzgärtlein, terrace garden and prelate's garden – invite you to linger in their tranquil natural surroundings.
The former Augustinian monastery with its iconic blue and white church tower, which is considered a landmark in the Wachau UNESCO World Heritage region, is impossible to miss on the banks of the Danube.
Perhaps reserved from the outside, but inside, great Baroque splendour unfolds – including a "monastery beneath the monastery" – original medieval rooms with a unique atmosphere.
As Austria's largest medieval Cistercian monastery – often referred to as the largest Cistercian complex in Central Europe – Lilienfeld impresses with its monumental basilica and extensive Romanesque-Gothic cloister, complete with a cross garden. The abbey is located in Lower Austria, around 25 km south of St. Pölten, and is a main stop on the Via Sacra, the traditional pilgrimage route from Vienna to Mariazell.
