Minoritenkloster Asparn an der Zaya

The Minoritenkloster in Asparn an der Zaya stands in the heart of the wine-growing Weinviertel region of Lower Austria. Built in the 17th century as a Franciscan monastery, its four-winged structure rises three storeys under pitched roofs. A fire in 1740 destroyed the original building, and the present Baroque edifice was completed in 1745 by master builder Ludwig Kaltner.

The monastery’s south façade is marked by cordons, corner bands and pilasters framing the outer bays. Its main entrance is a richly carved portal with Ionic double pilasters, a pediment of dentil moulding and finials. Inside, the ground floor’s former cloister now serves as a display area, while the refectory, a four-bay hall with a barrel vault, holds sacred objects. Upstairs, the first floor houses the parish office and convent, and the second floor contains flats.

After the Weinlandmuseum closed in 2020, the building returned to its monastic quiet. Visitors can still walk the vaulted corridors and view the restored Baroque features. The former refectory and cloister spaces remain as they were when the museum filled twenty-five rooms with local history, art and folk culture.