Looking up at Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Using our Combi-Ticket, from Vienna to Melk, we get off the train in Melk and look up. The glory of Melk is the baroque Benedictine Abbey, established in the 11th century, later destroyed by fire, and after selling the Gutenberg Bible to Yale in 1929, a restoration was started.  The church is under a makeover on the grandest terms today. Even the village of Melk is sprucing up. Has the church sold something else? Or did Melk receive a windfall? There are workers everywhere!  The easiest way to reach the Abbey is to go all the way to the right of the train platform and make a beeline straight up the hill through the newer section of town. At the top follow the cobblestones to the left, the rest of the way up to the Abbey. After visiting the Abbey we will go down to the village by another path that will take us into the heart of the historic village.

Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Gold of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey Makeover, Melk , Austria

The Gold of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Dining Room, Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Rose Colored Marble of Melk Chapel, Melk Abbey, Austria

The Rose Colored Marble of Melk Chapel Melk Abbey, Austria

The Chapel of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

View from Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

View from Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

View from Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

Entering the Garden of Melk Abbey,  Melk, Austria

The Pink Pavillion in the Gardens of Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

The Blackbirds of the Melk Abbey Gardens, Melk , Austria

The Blackbirds of the Melk Abbey Gardens, Melk , Austria

The Restaurant in the Garden, Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria

It is starting to rain! I can’t look at the entire garden! Darn!!!!

The Village of Melk, Melk, Austria (Look at the new street paving)

The Village of Melk, Austria

Re-do of Hauptstrasse, Melk, Austria

The Village of Melk, Austria

Yum, Yum! At Restaurant zur Post, Melk, Austria

When leaving the grounds of the Abbey walk down the cobblestone path to the village and turn right. Hauptstrasse is getting a new look. They are re-doing the street so follow the planks. Walking to the Hauptplatz we stop at the Hotel/Restaurant zur Post for the tastiest Austrian cuisine we’ve experienced in Austria to date. Yum! Melk is beautiful even during a makeover! Next we are off to find the boat dock to take us to Krems! It is part 2 of the Combi-ticket! Enjoy!