Stift Seitenstetten

About the museum

Udalschalk founded a monastery on this site in 1112 and bequeathed his property to it; in 1114 Benedictines from Göttweig moved in, and in 1116 the first abbey church was consecrated. The large parishes of Aschbach and Wolfsbach gave rise to the fourteen parishes that the abbey still serves today. Under Abbot Benedict I, the Melk Reform took hold in the 15th century, and the pilgrimage to the nearby Sonntagberg also arose at that time.

After the crises of the Reformation period, an upswing followed in the 17th century. Jakob Prandtauer built the basilica on the Sonntagberg for the abbey, and from 1718 to 1747 the present Baroque monastery building was constructed, financed mainly by mining and ironworks. Seitenstetten was never dissolved; the choir prayer has not fallen silent since its foundation.

From 1985 the building was comprehensively restored, and since 1996 the Historic Court Garden has also been restored. The abbey gallery shows more than 1,000 works from antiquity to the present, including works by Paul Troger and Daniel Gran as well as by Maria Lassnig and Fritz Wotruba. The abbots’ gallery tells the monastery’s history through historic portraits, and the natural history collections, with a mineral cabinet, date back to the 18th century.

Highlights

• Abbey gallery with over 1,000 artworks from antiquity to the present
• Abbots’ gallery with historic portraits of abbots
• Promulgation Hall and Knights’ Chapel
• Abbey library and natural history cabinet (on guided tours)
• Historic Court Garden with herb garden and historic roses

Permanent exhibitions

• Stiftsgalerie – Extensive art collection with paintings, prints and sculptures from several centuries, from Baroque masters to works of Austrian modernism.
• Äbtegalerie – In the abbey corridor, ten historic portraits of abbots with explanatory texts lead through over 900 years of monastery history; a second part introduces the present-day community.
• Naturhistorische Sammlungen – Minerals, shells, fossils, insects and taxidermy animals in historic cabinets, collected since the 18th century; can be seen as part of the guided tour.

Founded

1112

Operated by

Benediktinerstift Seitenstetten

Admission & discounts

Base price for individual visits to the abbey church, Knights’ Chapel, abbots’ gallery, abbey gallery and Promulgation Hall. Free admission with the Niederösterreich-CARD (individual visitors only, not in groups). Exhibitions of the Neue Galerie are free of charge during opening hours.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Promulgation Hall on the 1st floor cannot be reached by lift. The footpath from the railway station is accessible.

Kids & families

Getting there & parking

By car via the A1 Westautobahn, exit Oed (from the direction of Vienna) or Haag (from the direction of Salzburg); the route is signposted.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Monastery shop with books, monastery liqueurs, fine spirits, handicrafts as well as teas and spices from the monastery garden.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 300 guests.

Banquet hall in the Meierhof (500 m², also for weddings and gala evenings), Promulgation Hall for concerts (approx. 300 people, summer only), theatre hall, Benedictus Hall, glasshouse in the court garden and further seminar rooms; guest rooms in the house.

Plan your visit