Melk

Local nameMelk
LocationLower Austria

Melk is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,257. It is best known as the site of a massive baroque Benedictine monastery named Melk Abbey.

The town is first mentioned as Medilica in 831 in a donation of Louis the German; the name is from a Slavic word for 'border.' The area around Melk was given to Leopold I, Margrave of Austria, in the year 976 to serve as a buffer between the Magyars to east and Bavaria to the west. In 996 mention was first made of an area known as Ostarrîchi, which is the origin of the word Österreich. The bluff which holds the current monastery held a Babenberger castle until the site was given to Benedictine monks from nearby Lambach by Leopold II, in 1089. Melk received market rights in 1227 and became a municipality in 1898. In a very small area, Melk presents a great deal of architectural variety from many centuries.

Tags Town
Download Download See more
Vienna: Mariazell Basilica and Melk Abbey Private Tour from 496 USD
Book ticket

More information and contact

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melk

Coordinates 48°13'37.944" N 15°20'13.197" E

Tours and activities: Melk

Vienna: Mariazell Basilica and Melk Abbey Private Tour

Mobile voucher
Instant confirmation
from 496 USD

From Krems: Wachau Valley River Cruise with 3-Course Meal

Bestseller
Instant confirmation
from 60 USD

Sygic Travel - A Travel Guide in Your Pocket

Download for free and plan your trips with ease
Or just search for "Sygic Travel" in App Store or Google Play.
Sygic Travel Maps The world's first map app tailored for travelers
Use the app Not now