Schloss Erla St. Pantaleon

Schloss Erla stands on a hill above the village of Erla in Lower Austria. It began as the Benedictine convent founded around 1050 by Otto of Machland, the oldest women’s monastery in the province. The complex is protected as a listed monument and preserves parts of the original convent buildings.

The site’s importance is clear from its long history. In 1196 it gained a valuable toll privilege for goods carried on the Danube, and in 1239 and 1262 it secured judicial independence from the provincial court. Under Abbess Elisabeth of Eitzing in the 15th century the convent owned at least 160 farms and five mills. After the Turks burned it in 1529 and debts mounted, Pope Gregory XIII suppressed the house in 1583.

Visitors today see a two-courtyard ensemble. The older west wing clusters around the cloister courtyard, while the northern and north-eastern entrances lead to the well courtyard. The former convent church now serves as the parish church and remains under protection. Nearby stand the massive granary and the stables, completing the historic group.