Altenburg Abbey

Altenburg Abbey stands in the rolling hills of Lower Austria’s Waldviertel region, about thirty kilometres north of Krems an der Donau. Founded in 1144 by Countess Hildeburg of Poigen-Rebgau, the monastery has endured repeated invasions and attacks over the centuries, including destruction by the Swedes in 1645. Despite an imperial decree in 1793 forbidding new novices, it remained active when many other Austrian abbeys closed. Its present Baroque form was shaped in the 18th century under Abbots Maurus Boxler and Placidus Much, with guidance from architect Josef Munggenast and decoration by leading artists such as Paul Troger.

The abbey’s significance lies in its architectural refinement and historical resilience. Excavations from 1983 to 2005 uncovered remains of a 12th-century wall and a 13th-century Romanesque cloister beneath later layers. The Baroque rebuilding introduced grand spaces like the library wing, imperial staircase, and marble hall, each adorned with frescoes by Troger and his pupil Johann Jakob Zeiller. The oval church, renovated between 1730 and 1733, features a dome painted by Troger and an altarpiece depicting the Assumption of Mary.

Visitors enter through a 200-metre eastern façade into a complex of twelve landscaped courts and gardens. The library hall rises three storeys, its ceiling covered with Troger’s frescoes including scenes like the Judgment of Solomon. Below lies a crypt with vivid Dance of Death murals. The gardens reflect spiritual themes: the Garden of Religions arranges spaces for five world faiths around a natural pond, while the Garden of Creation traces the biblical story of creation near the church. The Garden of Tranquillity offers shaded paths, a vineyard, and sculptures leading to views of the chapel’s eastern façade and the medieval cloister beyond.