If you've ever been to Stift Melk, you already know how breathtakingly beautiful it is. If you've just been to the city of Melk, you have some idea, because you can see the monastery from most places in the city. If you've never been to either, I highly encourage you to visit. Here are some things you should know before you visit Stift Melk:
1. It's on a cliff, but the entrance is on the back.
I've heard a story several times about two young men who decided the best way to get to Stift Melk was to climb the cliff and keep going along the wall until they came to a door. No, I'm not joking. As you can imagine, they had to climb all the way around to the entrance and they did not exactly look the best when they made it. And please keep in mind, the building is actually incredibly long. This picture was taken on one end, and to get to Stift Melk, you need to walk through the town to the other side of the building, where there is an elaborate entrance. If in doubt, there were a few signs and you can always ask a nearby Austrian, "Wo ist Stift Melk?" if you are desperate.
2. The tours are in both German and English, but your English tour guide will likely have a German accent.
As someone who came over to Austria only knowing how to say "Hello", "Goodbye", and "Thank you", this was incredibly wonderful. The tour guide was very informative, but you should keep in mind that the German accent may be a barrier in comprehension.
3. The tour has student-priced tickets for students 27 or younger.
One of the others in my group had to pay full price because, even though she was a student, she was over the age limit. So keep that in mind if you go! Also, you will be asked to present a student ID.
4. Parts of Stift Melk are old, but many parts are new(er).
The majority of the original building burned down, though parts remained. As you approach the entrance, the large grey tower-like section on the right was created specifically for aesthetic purposes to match the remaining tower on the left.
5. The church is entirely Baroque style.
And it is gorgeous! Most of the decorations were gold, but they must have been painted or covered with gold foil, because the tour guid told us only 7 1/2 pounds of gold were used in the entire church!
6. No pictures!
Stift Melk has a very strict "no pictures inside" policy, and your tour guide will enforce that. I didn't ask, but I would imagine this has to do with keeping the tour something interesting that people are willing to pay to go see. I'm sure many people would opt to look at pictures online rather than travel to Melk, Austria!
7. The patron-saint is Saint Coloman.
You can read a little about him in the picture on the right, which is of a sign which stood next to the statue (pictured left).
So, if you ever find yourself in Austria, make sure you visit Stift Melk for the full tour. It will be well worth it!
