Besichtigung Stift Zwettl

Situated in the middle of idyllic forests on a loop of the Kamp river, Cistercian monks have lived and worked here since 1138. This makes Zwettl Abbey the third oldest Cistercian abbey in the world, which has been an active monastery without interruption. An audio tour takes you along the Kamp river and through the extensive vaulted cellars to the cloister with its well house and chapter house or through the historic gardens. The collegiate church surprises visitors with its rich baroque interior. It is accessible daily with guided tours. Tours of the baroque library, the treasury and the special exhibition "Cisterscapes - The Zwettl Monastery Landscape as European Cultural Heritage" are also offered daily.

Open April 12 to October 31, 2025

Discover the oldest monastery in the Waldviertel!

The cloister was built around 1200 and is the only preserved Romanesque-Gothic cloister in the German-speaking world. Legend has it that the cloister has 365 columns made of local granite, marble and sandstone, with one wooden column symbolizing the 366th day of the leap year. Guests can marvel at the atmospheric well house and chapter house as well as the oldest rooms of the monastery, the dormitory and necessarium. They are among the most outstanding examples of medieval architecture and form the heart of the monastery. The planted Kreuzgärtlein is a place of meditative contemplation.

The exterior of the high Gothic collegiate church is pure granite. The interior is dominated by the mighty high altar, 16 side altars, the choir stalls with artistic wood inlays and the famous Egedacher organ in its baroque splendor.
In the treasury, you will find a modern presentation of medieval pieces that were mainly used on religious occasions. An ivory Madonna, the Zwettler cross and the oldest abbot's staff of the monastery (from 1250!) are on display.

A new baroque library was built in Zwettl Abbey between 1730 and 1732. The master builder was Joseph Munggenast, the ceiling paintings are by Paul Troger, one of the most important Baroque painters. The two-storey room houses around 28,000 books, mainly from the 16th to 18th centuries.

Special exhibition "Cisterscapes - The Zwettl Monastery Landscape as European Cultural Heritage"

The green space, laid out in terraces, shows different concepts: a garden according to Hildegard von Bingen, a guardian angel garden, a herb garden and a snack garden. The "green" tour from the Lindenhof to the prelate's garden, which used to be reserved for the abbot and his guests. Today, it is open to everyone and invites you to enjoy a sensory experience with its baroque-style planting. In this oasis, our visitors can sit down on deckchairs and marvel at the unique view of the granite-grey Zwettl Abbey Tower. The garden and courtyard tour ends in the abbey courtyard with its Mediterranean flair.