Melk & Durnstein

---

A visit today to Melk Abbey (a Benedictine Abbey) which sits atop a cliff, where below two Rivers flow into the Danube.

The abbey was founded in 1089 and given to the Benedictine monks from Lambach Abbey. A monastic school, the Stiftsgymnasium Melk, was founded in the 12th century, and the monastic library soon became renowned for its extensive manuscript collection.

Today's Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736 - the abbey church with frescos and the library with countless medieval manuscripts, including a famed collection of musical manuscripts and frescos.

The school was returned to the abbey after the Second World War and now caters for nearly 900 pupils of both sexes.

After visiting the Abbey we wandered through the cobble stones streets of Melk on the way back to the ship. A lovely town with beautiful boutique shops.

After lunch we departed Melk and after a relatively short sail arrived in Durnstein where we had time to disembark and explore the quaint village And take a close up view of the little blue church.

In is part of the world, Christmas Eve is celebrated by the giving of presents rather than on Christmas Day.

---