Admont Abbey Library

Visiting Admont Abbey Library, Styria’s Oldest Remaining Monastery and Library

From the first time I saw a photo of Admont Abbey Library, I knew I had to see it in person. I have a thing for old world libraries and this one ranks at the top. If you are planning to visit Austria, Admont Abbey Church and Library are absolutely worth going out of your way to see.

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This post will cover the details of my visit to Admont and information to help you plan your own. The first thing you need to know is there is no bad time to go. The abbey church and library are open year round to visitors, with the exception of a couple weeks during the December holidays. However, the opening hours do vary by season. So, it is important to check the official website for dates and times prior to making your arrangements.

The town of Admont is centrally located in Austria near the Ens River, making it a do-able day trip from either Salzburg or Vienna. It is closer to Salzburg than Vienna though. While it is possible to reach by train, driving is considerably faster and easier.

My visit to Admont was part of an itinerary driving through Austria from Salzburg. I rented a car in Salzburg, stayed overnight in Hallstatt, and then stopped in Admont for an afternoon while en route to Vienna. If you have more time, you could also incorporate stops in Linz and/or Graz.

Above photo: Entrance to the Admont Abbey Library and Museum

The Abbey Library

The late-Baroque style hall that houses the library was designed and built in the late 1700s. The hall is divided into three sections, features seven ceiling frescoes, and houses about 70,000 volumes. The Abbey’s entire collection of books consists of about 200,000 volumes including more than 1,400 manuscripts from the 8th century and 530 early prints up to the year 1500.

The library is visually stunning! It is both the oldest and the largest remaining monastic library in the world. Besides these claims to fame, it is itself a true work of art and breathtaking confluence of architecture, history and books.

Admission tickets can be purchased at the ticket office upon arrival. While you cannot make a reservation, you likely will not experience any wait or queueing to enter. We walked right in and had the place to ourselves for most of the time!

Above photos: Admont Abbey Library

The Abbey Church

After visiting the Abbey Library, we walked over the the Abbey Church. It was rather fun to find out that the church was modeled after St. Peter’s Cathedral in Regensburg where we started our trip!

The Benedictine abbey is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and St. Blaise.  Its beginnings reach back to 1074 with various declines and revivals throughout history. A fire in 1865 destroyed much of the cloister, the abbey church, and the nearby market. It was subsequently rebuilt only to be expropriated by Nazis. Since WWII, Admont Abbey has been slowly rebuilding and regaining its plundered possessions and art treasures.

Above photo: Exterior of Admont Abbey Church

Above photos: Interior of Admont Abbey Church

A few other notes

Gesäuse National Park, in which Admont lies, is also a beautiful area to explore. We stopped several times on our drive between Hallstatt and Admont to take in the spectacular views within the Ennstal Alps. The closer you get the Vienna, the fewer snow capped mountains you’ll see. But, then, of course, you have all the sparkle and glam of Vienna to enjoy!

Above photos: Stopping for the scenery en route

If you need a quick bite to eat before hitting the road, there are a couple options. First, there is a restaurant and wine cellar on-site at the abbey. It looks really nice! Reservations can be made online here. Another option is to try one of the restaurants in the village of Admont, such as Gasthof Zeiser.

If you are more comfortable with guided tours, the option below looks amazing and is very similar to what we did — both Hallstatt and Admont. Visiting these two gems in between our stays in Salzburg and Vienna completely elevated our trip!

To read more about our stop in Hallstatt, please click here.