Melk seen from the abbey
Stift Melk
'Melk' (older spelling: ''Mölk'') is a city of
Austria, in the
federal state of
Lower Austria, next to the
Wachau valley along the
Danube.
With a population of 5,222 (as of
2001), it is also the site of a massive
baroque Benedictine monastery named
Stift Melk. Just outside the city limits is a
renaissance castle named
Schallaburg.
Melk received market rights in
1227 and became a municipality in
1898. In a very small area Melk presents a great deal of architectural variety from many centuries.
The ''Forsthaus'', which accommodates the city archives and the tourist information office, is the starting point of the tour. Beside the Forsthaus the ''Zaglauergasse'' meets with the ''Wiener Straße''. The ''Zaglauergasse'' is restricted on one side by remnants of the ancient
city wall. At this junction one could find the ''Wiener Tor'' until 1874. It has been, as well as the ''Linzer Tor'' on the other side of the city, one of the two entrances to Melk throughout the centuries.
After several metres, the ''Wiener Straße'' opens to the affectionately restored ''Rathausplatz'', which got its name from the 1575 built ''
Rathaus''. The facade of the town hall was redesigned 150 years ago and the highly elaborate entrance door, made of wood and copper, is the town hall's most outstanding feature.
To its left you can find the former ''Lebzelterhaus'', which dates back to 1657 and which nowadays is a pharmacy. To the right you can see a secular building from the middle ages. The ''Kolomanbrunnen'' (market fountain), which is a gift from the abbey to the city, is in the centre of the ''Rathausplatz''. On the top of the fountain the statue of the
Holy Koloman can be seen.
The old bread store with its tiny towers is about 400 years old and still covered with the original shingle roof. Behind the old bread store extends the oldest lane in Melk, the ''Sterngasse'', which used to be the main street of the town. The interesting wall paintings on the houses indicate what they used to be. Some other houses contain fascinating courtyards.
The hidden ''Haus am Stein'' (house at the rock) is the oldest building of Melk. It was built during the 15th century. Its facade is covered by a protected ancient vine. At the arm of the Danube river, parts of the former city walls and the Round Tower can be recognised. Following the ''Nibelungenlände'' and passing the ''Salzhof'', the visitor reaches the ''Schiffsmeisterhaus'' with its high water level marks on the facade. The Danube reached 15.8 metres above the usual water level in 1501.
The ''Haus auf dem Stein'' (house on the rock) was built less than 50 years after this high water disaster. It was used as an atelier by the well-known Austrian painter
Walter Prinzl. The counterpart of the ''Wiener Tor'', the ''Linzer Tor'', was located at the end of the ''Linzer Straße''. Both gates do not exist anymore, but historical illustrations can be found at the city archives. At the corner of the ''Stadtgraben'' (
moat), there is the
defence tower, where parts of it are still in original condition.
At the end of the moat you can see the Ancient Post Office, which was built in 1792. Its facade is decorated with a beautiful relief created at the end of the
baroque period. The Ancient Post Office is now used as an event- and convention centre. The church court is dominated by the
Gothic Parish Church. Designed in the late gothic period and embedded in the northern facade, is the ''Kalvarienberggruppe'', a significant sculpture. Before the main road connects to the Rathausplatz, a tablet commemorates the great Austrian composer
Anton Bruckner.
During
World War II, a subcamp of
Mauthausen concentration camp was located here.
[1]
See also
★
District of Melk
References
1. Christine O'Keefe. ''Concentration Camps''.
External links
★
Monastery Stift Melk
★
Renaissance Castle Schallaburg
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