Description of the attraction
The hallmark of the town of Durnstein, located in the Wachau valley, is the high blue and white belfry of the Marie-Himmelfart church, which is part of the monastery of the Augustinian canons.
The temple was built in the first half of the 18th century, and the monastery itself appeared on the banks of the Danube much earlier - in 1410. Before that, on the site of the present monastery church, there was already a chapel of the Virgin Mary with a spacious crypt. In 1710 Hieronymus Ubelbacher became abbot of the monastery in Dürnstein. He initiated the rebuilding of the complex entrusted to him in the Baroque style. Three architects worked on the reconstruction of the abbey of the Augustinian canons: Matthias Steinl, Jacob Prandtauer and Joseph Munggenast.
In 1788 the monastery was abolished according to the order of Emperor Joseph II. At the moment, the abbey again belongs to the Augustinian monks. It houses a center for international meetings.
In 1985, thanks to generous donations from several organizations, the monastery complex in Dürnstein was rebuilt. The reconstruction cost 50 million shillings. At the end of the 20th century, the crypt and the church of Marie-Himmelfart were repaired. Its tower is decorated with valuable reliefs on the theme of the Way of the Cross of Christ. It is crowned with a cross - a symbol of Christ's victory over suffering and death. The figures of the four evangelists can be seen under the pommel.
The monastery of the Augustinian canons is open for visits from April to November. During the tour, you can see the two courtyards of the monastery and visit the church.
