Seckau Abbey

Seckau Abbey stands in the Austrian province of Styria, a Benedictine monastery with a Romanesque basilica at its heart. The abbey church was built between 1143 and 1164 and served for centuries as the burial place for the Inner Austrian line of the Habsburgs. In 1930 it was recognised as a minor basilica. The monastery itself was resettled by Benedictines in 1883 after they left Germany during the Kulturkampf. The monks were forced out again in 1940 by the Gestapo but returned in 1945. The abbey is part of the Beuronese Congregation within the Benedictine Confederation and runs a secondary school. It also carries out parish pastoral duties, combining monastic life with active community service. A commemorative Austrian euro coin issued in 2008 featured Seckau Abbey on its obverse, showing the basilica with its twin towers and the surrounding Baroque monastic buildings. The reverse depicted the view from the church entrance towards the high altar. Visitors find a Romanesque basilica with twin towers and Baroque monastic buildings arranged around it. Inside, a mediaeval crucifixion group hangs on four massive chains above the high altar. The abbey church remains a place of quiet reflection and historical significance. The surrounding landscape of Styria adds to the sense of calm and continuity. The abbey’s school and parish activities give it a living presence in the region.