If you're in Austria and you're interested in monasteries, the Melk Abbey deserves to be at the top of your to-do list. This colossal abbey was constructed in the early 1700s, and it features frescoes, altars, and sculptures done by some of the most significant Baroque artists in history. Another major highlight of the space is the elegant library, which features a graceful spiral staircase, a beautiful ceiling fresco, and a collection of more than 115,000 volumes, only a fraction of which are in a room accessible to the public. The monastery is open year-round, but guided tours are required between November and March.
Abt-Berthold-Dietmayr-Straße 1, 3390 Melk, Austria, Phone: +43-27-52-55-50