Melk Abbey - Austria Royalty-Free Stock Photography

The baroque Benedictine Abbey, where Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose begins and ends, is a treasure trove of paintings, sculptures and decorative art. The great library contains 2000 volumes from the 9th to the 15th century alone. It was built in 976 as a castle by Leopode I but in 1089 was given to the Benedictine Order and transformed into an Abbey. In the 15th century a school was attached to the monastery. The current baroque look dates back to 18th century when it was transformed by Jakob Prandtauer and many contemporary artists.