Description of the attraction
Altenburg Abbey is a Benedictine monastery located in Altenburg in Lower Austria. The monastery was founded in 1144 by the Countess of Hildenburg. The abbey was built in the Baroque style under the direction of the architect Josef Muungenast. Many eminent craftsmen and artists worked on this project: Paul Troger created the frescoes, Franz-Joseph Holdzinger worked on the stucco moldings, and Johann Georg Hoppl worked on marble interiors.
In 1793, Emperor Joseph II banned the admission of new novices to the monastery, but unlike many other monasteries in Austria, Altenburg managed to avoid closure.
In 1940, the activities of the abbey were suspended due to the Nazis, and already in 1941 the monastery was completely dissolved: the abbot was arrested. Since 1945, the premises have been used as barracks for the Soviet occupation forces.
After the end of World War II, the monastery was rebuilt under the leadership of Abbot Mavr Knappek. In 1961, Abbot Moor created a boys' choir, which began to tour various European countries, Israel, Japan and Brazil.
The treasury of the monastery and the library are interesting to explore, especially the unique paintings of the walls and ceiling of the abbey.
