Austria seems to be just full of beautiful old abbeys, monasteries, churches and idyllic escapes that are well worth an afternoon's visit. Best of all, many of the ones I have seen so far have been home to some of the world's most beautiful libraries, their tenants often to be found gracing many of the world's lists of ones to visit in your lifetime.
A great day trip from either Salzburg or Vienna, as this place is located about halfway between both, is Kremsmünster Abbey in the town of the same name. Either way, you'll need to transfer trains in Linz and then ride another forty-five minutes to Kremsmünster.
Kremsmünster Abbey was founded in 777 by Tassilo III, the Duke of Bavaria, and is a still-functioning Benedictine monastery to this day. Today, a school (which has an unfortunate history of child abuse), restaurant and hotel exist within the grounds. The church, which is a highlight of the visit, was completed in 1277 in Romanesque and Gothic styles, but was remolded in the 1600s to Baroque, which is its current exquisite style. The library, probably the best spot of the entire visit, was completed in the 1680s and is home to about 160,000 books, including a book from 800, the Codex Millenarius, the library's most valuable.
It's free to visit the stunning church at the Kremsmünster Abbey, but if you'd like to see the rest of the Abbey, including the museum and the famous library, you'll need to join a guided tour for 11 euros per adult. The tour allows you to see the display of treasures, including the famous Tassilo Chalice, a copper and silver piece created in the 760s and donated by Tassilo III to the monastery.
Here are some of the gorgeous sights from my visit:
