The architecture of Altenburg Abbey in the Austrian region of Waldviertel reminds us of a Baroque abbey you see in Austria many times. But it hides an older monastery below its floors. Visitors walk through the ages by climbing the stairs up and down. [German]
Tag: Waldviertel
Locomotive ÖBB 1040.09
This locomotive ÖBB 1040.09, built in 1951, forms an exhibit at the Waldviertel Railway Museum (Waldviertler Eisenbahnmuseum) in Sigmundsherberg. In addition to Austrian railway history, you also see an exhibition about the Sigmundsherberg POW camp from WWI. [German]
Dragon at Altenburg Abbey
To my surprise, one of the frescoes at the church of Altenburg Abbey (Stift Altenburg) includes a dragon. The creator of these frescoes was Paul Troger.
The golden stove of Altenburg Abbey
On my walk through the basement vaults of Altenburg Abbey I came across this reconstruction of a Gothic tower stove. While unearthing the old monastery, the workers discovered 62 tiles showing Bible stories, saints, emblems and symbols. They were probably created in the years between 1480 and 1510.
Sundial at Geras Abbey
At Geras Abbey, I visited a workshop for creating handmade paper. While having a break, I discovered this sundial in the abbey court. I wonder what the name of the depicted castle is.
View of Geras Abbey
This view from my hotel room in Geras shows Geras Abbey (Stift Geras). I stayed on the first floor of a former ‘Schüttkasten‘. A Schüttkasten is a building for the storage of corn in earlier times. Inside the abbey, I took a lesson in producing hand-made paper.