Non-French TidbitsMelk Abbey

By Jim and Emmy Humberd

We left Vienna and were driving west on the Autobahn when we saw a large beautiful building on the top of a hill overlooking the Danube River, with the town around the base of the hill. The Baroque Benedictine monastery at Melk, is the most magnificent monastery in Austria.

The building is yellow and gold, and is very elaborate. We got off the freeway, parked, then went to look around. We didn't take the guided tour, so weren't permitted to see much, but we did visit a couple of buildings and the grounds, and were amazed at the beauty of this building complex.

A few days later Emmy noticed in her notebook that one of the Cousins had said we must be sure to visit the Melk Abbey, since Josef Munggenast, one of Emmy's ancestors, was the architect who completed the Benedictine Monastery. Joseph Munggenast was also responsible for the monasteries of Herzogenburg, Altenburg and Dürnstein, Austria. We hadn't noticed before, but now we saw his name was on the post cards we had purchased at the monastery book store.

A couple of years later we arrived at the Melk Abbey, determined to tour the Benedictine Monastery this time. High on a hill above the Danube River, these beautiful buildings, one of the most impressive sights in Austria, can be seen from a distance.

This time we took the tour. Emmy introduced herself to the guide, he introduced her to the tour group, and the Munggenast name was mentioned many times during the tour. This is a captivating group of buildings, but the most beautiful part is Melk's Baroque Cathedral, or chapel. We wouldn't even try to describe the grandeur of all the columns, statues, and gold decorations in the Cathedral, it's magnificent. How can something so extravagant, look so superb.

The painter, Paul Troger, one of the foremost artistic personalities of that time, was contracted to carry out the frescos in the magnificent library. The ceiling, painted as if it were a continuation of the walls, appears to be much higher than it really is. Trompe-l'œil, to fool the eye, an optical illusion.

The organ in the Cathedral at Melk is rather new. It replaced the old organ which was ruined when someone tried to fix it, and they have an old clock that suffered from the same TLC (terrible loving care).

Related link:
900th anniversary of the founding of Melk Abbey

Books by Jim and Emmy Humberd:
Invitation to France
Invitation to Germany
Invitation to Italy

French Video Immersion