Abbey park Melk

It is a complete work of art. If you want to see it, you need time - just like the monastery itself. The abbey park, laid out over several levels, is an exquisite piece of horticultural art on an intact baroque ground architecture. The eye-catcher and dominant element is the garden pavilion and its exotic frescoes. In front of it are roses of different varieties, which emphasize the baroque playfulness of the pavilion when in bloom. Although most of the planting dates back to the 19th century, new impulses have been added in recent years. Modern "talking stones", for example, a "Benedictine path" for meditation, a drinking fountain made from a petrified tree and a fireplace. The "Garden of Paradise", based on the horticultural book "De Cultura Hortorum" by the 9th century Benedictine abbot Walahfrid Strabo, traces a link to the early days of the order.

The Stiftpark has acquired its current uniqueness and identity over the last few centuries thanks to ever-changing views on garden design. Economic downturns, when garden maintenance was not financially viable and nature reclaimed and overgrown the park, also contributed to this. With the revitalization of the park over the last 15 years, old structures, some of them baroque, have been made visible again. Gradually, areas of the park have been opened up and made accessible to visitors.