Göttweig Abbey

Settlement on Göttweig Hill dates back to approximately 2000 BC, with finds from the Neolithic period to the Roman era. In 1072, an initial church was consecrated, and in 1083, a collegiate monastery was founded by Bishop Altmann of Passau. In 1094, Benedictine monks from St. Blasien took over the monastery. Early constructions in the 12th century included the church's nave and the Erentrudis Chapel. Following a major fire in 1718, the abbey was rebuilt under Abbot Gottfried Bessel according to plans by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, though only about two-thirds of the original design were completed. During World War II, the abbey was expropriated and used as a resettlement camp, prisoner-of-war camp, and a National Political Education Institute before being devastated at the end of the war. After 1945, a reconstruction and restitution process took place under Abbot Wilhelm Zedinek.

The monastery is accessible to visitors. It houses a museum in the Imperial Wing, which features exhibitions, as well as the Graphic Collection in the former “Castle.”