Melk, Austria

We left Vienna by train this morning for the village of Melk, a beautiful little village on the Danube overlooked by the impressive Melk Abbey. Walking down the steep paths into the shopping area, we found our small but spotless Pension, popular with cyclists who ride the scenic paths on the banks of the Danube. After having a bite of lunch in a street cafe, we caught a boat cruise up the Danube to the town of Krems then returned by bus back to the village of Durstein in the Wachau Valley and further on, back to Melk. The river trip was most enjoyable with a clear sunny day and the spotting of ruins of castles and fortresses along route. Krems was just a typical small town and we didn’t find anything of particular interest apart from a disgruntled local complaining about local politics, and clearly believing that the grass was greener anywhere other than where he lived. We went in search of the bus to Durstein and after a fairly long walk, we found the bus we needed and soon afterward realised that the same bus stopped in town, where we had just been.

The beautiful little village of Durstein is overlooked by the ruins of Durstein Castle and fronted on the river by the beautiful blue and white tower of Durstein Abbey Church. Durstein Castle was used as a prison in 1192 for King Richard I (the Lionheart) of England by Leopold V, Duke of Austria, due to a dispute between the two leaders during the 3rd Crusade (Richard had cast Leopold’s Standard down from the walls of Acre and Leopold suspected Richard for the murder of his cousin in Jerusalem). Leopold was excommunicated by the Pope and Richard was handed over to Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, to continue his imprisonment at Trifels Castle in south-west Germany. It was getting late in the afternoon by the time we arrived in town and all the shops were closed. However, we were fortunate to be able to sit down on the balcony restaurant of the Relais and Chateaux Hotel overlooking the river for some tea and sacher torte – decadent but very nice. After our high tea, we hurried down to the Abbey to find it had actually just closed but the lovely lady on reception let us in to have a quick look around. Even better, when we found we didn’t have enough cash for the entrance fee, she let us in for nothing. A rapid race around the history of the Augustinian monks and into the church and tower for lovely views across the Danube.

A very ornate little church. One of the prettiest we have seen. Children’s craft work on the altar rail once again suggests that these beautiful churches in Austria are still actively used and loved by the local community. The elaborate interior, as is common to most European churches of any age, was stunning. The following information is taken from the website for the site. “The Abbey Church, which has also been the parish church since 1745, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary’s assumption into Heaven. Parts of the original gothic church were reused in the renovations of 1721–1724. Many artists and craftsmen participated in the architectural and interior decoration of the church. Santino Bussi, Antonio Beduzzi and Carl Haringer are among those named in the Provost’s notes. The sculptures were designed by Johann Schmidt, father of the famous Austrian baroque painter Martin Johann Schmidt (‘Kremser Schmidt’). ‘Kremser Schmidt’ himself also carried out work at the Abbey. The side chapels contain two of his paintings. One unique feature is the fully rotatable tabernacle of the high altar, in the form of a globe decorated with 44 scenes from the life of Jesus. The Abbey organ was built in 1724. It is a South German baroque organ with over 800 pipes, and it is still in its original condition.”

Another great feature of the church is the balcony overlooking the river. A serene and picturesque view. Not a bad place to be a monk, one would think. The Augustinians followed the Rule of Augustine, the essence of which is to value community life over seeking for oneself with the expectation that members share what they have, and only receive as much as they need. Communal work for the common good and care of the sick are of particular importance in the community.

Catching the bus again back to Melk, we passed numbers of tourists making the journey along the river road on bicycles – a nice thing to do if you have the time, we thought. Dinner in Melk at a sidewalk restaurant, under a clear crescent-moon and starry sky – idyllic.