You only see what you know (Goethe)
The architecture of Altenburg Abbey in the Austrian region of Waldviertel reminds us of a Baroque abbey you see in Austria many times. But it hides an older monastery below its floors. Visitors walk through the ages by climbing the stairs up and down. [German]
Reichenau Abbey was founded in 724 by Saint Pirmin. Later the abbey became famous for the Reichenauer Malschule. This term comprises lavishly illuminated manuscripts created during the late 10th and early 11th centuries.
Photo of Michelsberg Abbey in Bamberg taken from the grounds of the New Residence (Neue Residenz). [German]
The inscription “Ora et Labora” refers to the motto of the Benedictines. It translates into “Pray and Work”. The depiction is located on a chimney of Seitenstetten Abbey (Stift Seitenstetten). This is a large Benedictine monastery in the Austrian region of Mostviertel. [German]
The sundial is located in a courtyard of St. Peter’s Archabbey (Erzabtei St. Peter) in Salzburg. The two crossed keys under the picture represent the coat of arms of the abbey. The old man seems to be Saint Benedict, whose attributes rule book and raven are to be seen. I wonder what the raven is telling him? [German]
This sundial is located on a wall of Reichenau Abbey on Reichenau Island. It shows not only the motto ‘Pray and Work’ (ora et labora) but also Saint Pirmin, the founder of Reichenau Abbey. The two snakes refer to the fact that he is considered to be a patron against snake bites.
Sundial displaying the martyrium of Saint Sebastian seen at the inner court of Millstatt Abbey.
Sundial seen at the Romanesque cloister courtyard of the former Millstatt Abbey in the Austrian state of Carinthia.
Sundial in one of the inner yards of St Peter’s Arch Abbey (Erzabtei St. Peter) in Salzburg. The Benedictine monastery in the Austrian city of Salzburg was founded in 696 and is considered to be one of the oldest monasteries in German-speaking area.
View of Lambach Abbey taken on a train journey from Salzburg to Linz. The abbey is a Benedictine monastery. The Baroque theater inside the building is considered as the oldest still in use theater in Austria. [German]
On my walk through the basement vaults of Altenburg Abbey I came across this reconstruction of a Gothic tower stove. While unearthing the old monastery, the workers discovered 62 tiles showing Bible stories, saints, emblems and symbols. They were probably created in the years between 1480 and 1510.
After a walk through the seven gardens of Klosterneuburg Monastery (Stift Klosterneuburg) near Vienna I also visited the orangery of the monastery. Inside I was very surprised by this ensemble including an old world map showing the route of an exploring journey done by the Austrian ship ‘SMS Novara‘.