Gottweig Abbey

Göttweig was founded in 1083 and stands on a hill on the south bank of the Danube at the point where the Wachau valley opens out, visible for a long way and often called the Austrian Montecassino for the position. The medieval buildings burned in 1718 and Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt was commissioned to rebuild on a vast plan that was never finished - what stands is a fragment of the intended scheme, which is why the courtyards do not close as they should. The Kaiserstiege, the imperial staircase, carries a ceiling fresco by Paul Troger of 1739 showing Charles VI as Apollo, and is the single most impressive room. The abbey still functions as a monastery, runs a restaurant on the terrace with the Danube view, and holds a large graphic art collection.

The main sights

• A hill abbey over the Danube - visible far up and down the valley.
• Troger's imperial staircase - the 1739 fresco of Charles VI as Apollo.
• An unfinished baroque plan - Hildebrandt's scheme never completed after 1718.
• A terrace restaurant - the view down the Danube from the abbey hill.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Practical notes

It is a working monastery and parts are closed. The museum rooms open seasonally. The hill road is steep and parking is limited on busy days. Interior photography is restricted.

Nearby

Krems and the Wachau are north; Melk Abbey is upstream.

Key facts