42. ALTARPIECE PANELS
These panels were created by Jörg Breu as part of an altar piece.
43. PAINTED PANELS
These panels show various scenes including the coming of the Wise Men, the Flight into Egypt, and Jesus teaching in the Temple. There is also a curious depiction of St Peter holding one of the Keys to the Kingdom.
44. BACK TO THE CORRIDOR
We take time to look out in the Imperial Corridor which stretches forever! Here there is another painting: Leopold of Babenberg, Duke of Austria, 1176 – 1230.
45. ROOM 10: MODEL OF THE ABBEY
Nearby is a model of the Abbey up on its clifftop perch, although this photograph does more justice to the fortified town of Melk nestled below.
46. TOOLS
Room 10 is divided into two: one side with the model, and the other side with the subtitle: ‘To Glorify God in Everything’. Over the years it has taken a lot of hard work to maintain the monastery building, as well as a supported secondary school, and restoration work in 23 parishes. Some old tools are shown in this display case.
47. TOOLKIT
As we prepare to leave Room 10, we pass a much more comprehensive set of tools. One might need a university degree to figure out this lot ... .
48. ROOM 11
The subtitle for Room 11 is: ‘Movement is a Sign of Life’. The idea is that staying in motion brings God’s Spirit to me, and the Spirit is what makes me alive. The main exhibit in this room is a large detailed model of the Abbey. We have two views: this view which would be looking across the Abbey towards the Danube, and ...
49. ABBEY MODEL
... this view looking down from the carpark towards the main entrance where we started our tour.
50. JAKOB PRANDTAUER
In this room there is a painting of Abbot Dietmayr, and this painting of Jakob Prandtauer. Jakob Prandtauer (1660 – 1726) was an Austrian Baroque architect. Trained as a stonemason rather than as an architect, he designed and supervised the construction of the church of Melk Abbey.
51. MARBLE HALL
We come now to the Marble Hall. The name is misleading as only the door frames and the insets over the doors are made of real Salzburg marble: the walls are made of stucco marble. The inscription above the far door reads: ‘Hospites tamquam Christus suscipiantur’ (Guests should be received as though they were Christ).
52. HALL CEILING
The ceiling fresco was done by Paul Troger (1731), with architectural painting by Gaetano Fanti. The allegories of the ceiling have been interpreted in many different ways, and the discussion is probably only of interest to the specialist. The architectural painting gives the impression that the ceiling rises up and curves higher than it does. It is, in fact, flat.
53. HALL CORNICE
In keeping with the extravagant Baroque style, the column capitals are held up by ornate golden figures.
54. CEILING SIDE FIGURES
As part of the actual ceiling, these pairs of figures appear at the middle of the sides.
55. FLOOR GRATE
A hot air heater is located under the ornamental floor grate in the middle of the Hall.
56. TO THE BALCONY
Leaving the Marble Hall, we come to the balcony, a grand terrace connecting the Hall and the library. From the balcony, we have a clear view of the church’s façade. On the façade we can see the patron saints of the Church, Peter and Paul. Over the portal are statues of St Michael and the guardian angel. Between the two towers stands a monumental statue of the resurrected Christ.
57. BALCONY VIEW
Looking outwards from the balcony, we have a magnificent view of the river Danube and the town of Melk. [Wikipedia photograph]
58. LIBRARY
From the balcony we move to the library, one of the most important rooms in a Benedictine monastery. The ceiling fresco by Paul Troger is a counterpoint to the ceiling in the Marble Hall, but here the theme is faith. The Melk Abbey library contains approximately 1800 manuscripts. [Abbey photograph]
59. OLD BENEDICTINE BOOK
Photography is not permitted in the library, but this book of Benedictine Rules is on display.
60. SPIRAL STAIRCASE
We climb down the lovely spiral staircase which leads us to our final destination – the Abbey Church.