Lilienfeld Abbey with abbey library, monastery & gallery

Stift Lilienfeld in Lower Austria

The Lilienfeld Abbey in Mostviertel with the abbey library, monastery and gallery promises a surprising visit. Surprised? Why? We're experiencing one here Time out in a monasterythat transports us to another time. The pen in Lower Austria goes back to the year 1202. Cistercian Holy cross were the first to live in the monastery. The signs of time are unmistakable. The steps to the guest wing of the monastery are crooked from the many feet that have walked over them. The building's age is evident in many corners and ends.

However, when you find out what all the monastery has to offer, it is no wonder that money for cosmetic repairs is scarce. The monastery includes the monastery complex, huts, Parish churches and parsonages. The monastery finances the preservation of these buildings. A mammoth task that the income from forest, hunting, fishing and guest care pay for.

Stift Lilienfeld in autumn © Copyright Harald Schmid

Do you like to travel by motorhome?

The closest campsite to Stift Lilienfeld is Terraces Camping Traisen. There are other campsites in the area. There you can after a day trip in a Dutch Oven or on the portable grill after a day trip. You can also find Dutch oven accessories here.
Do you want to rent a motorhome? Then you will find information here as well as booking options. Or do you like to travel with a roof tent on the car? Also the overnight stay in camping tents is possible.
Check our packing list for campers to see whether you have packed everything for your motorhome tour.
Austria has a comprehensive network of campsites. parking spaces in Lower Austria* (advertisement) can be found here. Outside of campsites and parking spaces, you are allowed to stay for a maximum of one night. But be careful: there are regional bans (Tyrol, Vienna).
Why is a folding e-bike useful when camping?

The collegiate gallery

The treasures that await us in the monastery building are all the more astonishing. Abbot Matthäus Nimmervoll personally takes time for us. First, he leads us to the monastery's picture gallery. Full of humor, he introduces us to the people who can be seen in the pictures.

Here and in the guest refectory, paintings depicting emperors and kings hang on the walls. Among them is Duke Leopold IV of Austria and Styria. He founded the monastery. We recognize Empress Maria Theresa as well as Queen Victoria of England. The gallery contains 240 paintings and a collection of 200 copperplate engravings.

The collegiate archive

This wealth of cultural treasures is once again evident in the monastery archives. Archivist Irene Rabl reverently presents us with a manuscript from Empress Maria Theresa to the monastery. She carefully opens the document. She gently strokes the ribbon that holds the letter together.

Stift Lilienfeld presents its Manuscripts from the Middle Ages available online for research. But as much as I enjoy browsing through this online collection of writings, I am more impressed by the monastery's library.

The Abbey Library

Because of the valuable writings, it is not accessible to everyone. We are also only allowed to look at it through glass walls. These protect access to these works. Nevertheless, the library takes my breath away. It is the work of lay brothers. Its shelves contain 40.000 volumes, 120 incunabula and 229 manuscripts. A treasure for anyone who loves books and old manuscripts.

The frame in which the writings are kept is also impressive. The monastery library dates back to the 13th century. The hall library was created around 1700 under Abbot Sigmund Braun. Libraries like this one were primarily used for representation at the time. The books were locked in cabinets or given uniform spines. This made them look more attractive.

Collegiate church and monastery

The collegiate church dates from the time when the monastery was founded. It is a pillar basilica. The entrance portal also dates from the end of the Romanesque period. The interior design, however, dates back to the Baroque period. Late Baroque transitions into Rococo. The monastery is also worth seeing. Its cloister is one of the largest in Austria. A fire destroyed a large part of the monastery in 1810. The well house therefore dates from 1886.

The best way to get to know Lilienfeld Abbey is on a guided tour. This is the only way to access all of the public rooms. You can visit on your own with an audio guide in German or English.

The current opening hours for the monastery can be found here. You can also book a guided tour there.

Stay overnight at Lilienfeld Abbey

For example, we spend the night in the guest wing of the monastery. There are rooms with private showers and rooms with bathrooms in the hallway. However, guests eat breakfast together. Lunch and dinner are not available at the Lilienfeld monastery. We drove with the chairlift to Klosteralm on the Muckenkogel, the local mountain of Lilienfeld. Hiking in Austria is definitely fun here.

More information about Stift Lilienfeld

The website of the monastery
The Wikipedia article about the pen is well researched.
Scientific sources are provided by Institute for Austrian Historical Research.
If you want to go deeper into the research, then this is Austrian monastery portal helpful.

Travel Arrangements

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Arrival by plane and/or car to Lilienfeld Abbey

Compare and book flights here* (advertisement). The nearest airport is Vienna. From there you then travel by car. Travel time from Vienna to Lilienfeld is about 1 hour. From Munich one drives 4 hours, from Salzburg sowie von Graz about 2,5 hours. You can also rent a car at these airports.

Rental car to Lilienfeld Abbey:

Cheap rental cars – book here!

Accommodation at Lilienfeld Abbey:

For example, book yours here Accommodation* in Lilienfeld. It is also possible to stay overnight in the monastery. Register via this email: pforte@stift-lilienfeld.at

If you book through one of these offers, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.

Stift Lilienfeld — Click on the photo and then save the post on Pinterest.

Do you know this?

We would definitely like to thank Klösterreich for the invitation to Lilienfeld Abbey. However, our opinions remain our own.

Du suchst Travel tips to monasteries? For example, you will find what you are looking for at this link. Also discover Slow Travel Tips.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Videos: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline

Lilienfeld Abbey - Abbey Library, Monastery & Gallery