Melk , Austria

Melk is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. It is best known as the site of a massive baroque Benedictine monastery named Melk Abbey.

The Abbey is built on a bluff overlooking the Danube River to the northwest and the town center to the south. Most of the design of the present abbey (a reconstruction started in 1702) was by the architect Jakob Prandtauer. The Kaisergang (Imperial Corridor and Abbey Museum), 650 ft long, is decorated with portraits of Austrian rulers. The Marmorsaal (Marble Hall), contains pilasters coated in red marble; a richly painted allegorical picture on the ceiling is the work of Paul Troger. The Library, rising two floors, again with a Troger ceiling, contains some 80,000 volumes.

Things to See & Do

* Melk Benedictine Abbey
* Abbey Church
* Town Hall
* Haus am Stein - oldest building in Melk
* self-guided walking tour

General information

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - Euro (EUR)
Language - German
Population - 5,233 approx
Land Area - 25.71 km²
Electricity - two vertical square pins and one perpendicular below British style
Time - GMT plus one hour
International Country Telephone Code - + 43

Port Location - The river port at Melk is located on the Danube river.

Travel Links - Trains leave frequently from Vienna's Westbahnhof to Melk, with two brief stops en route (about 1 hr. trip time).