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DAY ELEVEN ~ MELK & DÜRNSTEIN

Melk is the highlight of our Danube Valley visit. The Melk Abbey, possibly the most famous abbey in Austria, is dramatically situated on an outcrop rising above the Danube, and stands resplendent in a golden hue, crowned by towers.

Melk Abbey, an areal view showing the twin towered Abbey church and the extensive grounds and magnificent gardens.

We approach the Abbey from a parking lot well above the entrance. It gave us a magnificent view of what to expect.

The Melk Abbey was built in 1702 - 1736 by architect Jakob Prandtauer. It was originally a palace.

In the 11th century, Leopold II of Badenberg presented the palace to the Benedictine monks who turned it into a fortified abbey. The highlight of the abbey is the Abbey Church.

With its twin spires and high octagonal dome, the church has an astonishing number of windows.

This view from the Melk Abbey shows a countryside that appears to be primarily agricultural. I'm not sure what
the crops are, but hopefully they are hops, barley and whatever else is needed to make that fine German beer. ;o)

As we descend from where the coaches were parked to the Abby grounds, we see how well they are kept.

To me, the artwork above the entrance seemed a little out of place, especially after seeing what was inside the Abby.

The beautiful artifacts of a time long past are encased behind glass, and are carefully watched by surveillance cameras.

The guy who wielded that scepter in the 4th frame must have had ultimate power within the church. Such artifacts of
wealth and power staggers the imagination. It was at the same time a magnificent and a tragic page in human history.

Emperor Leopold II, born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was the son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa, thus brother of Marie Antoinette. I'm really not quite sure how it scales from then until now, but today we speak of the 1% who control the wealth. Perhaps Leopold was the 0.01% in his day. It would make for an interesting thesis for some young aspiring student of anthropology to calculate the difference from then until now, and provide us with some measure of how we as a species have progressed or regressed. I think the jury is still out on that one.

The Melk Abbey Library is renowned for its extensive manuscript collection. The
monastery's scriptorium was also a major site for the production of manuscripts.

As you leave the library, there is this magnificent spiral stairwell that leads you down to the main floor of the church.

Magnificent frescos can be seen throughout the Abbey church. This
one, by Johann Michael Rottmayr, depicts the Triumph of the Monk.

This one, also by Johann Michael Rottmayr, shows St. Benedict's triumphal ascent to Heaven.

The pulpit in the Great Marble Hall is a true work of art.

The ceiling fresco in the Great Marble Hall speaks volumes. One could spend an hour and not take it all in.

And of course, one mustn't forget Leopold II. This is the Leopold alter.

Well, there is a reason I said at the beginning of this part that Melk is the highlight of our Danube Valley visit. There is still much more to share, but it will have to wait until Part 11. You can look forward to seeing a reusable coffin. Yeah, that one caught me by surprise as well.