Admont Benedictine Abbey

The Baroque Library (72m/236ft long, 14m/46ft across), in the east wing of the Admont Benedictine abbey, is the most important part from the point of view of art history. Its main features are the ceiling frescos by Altomonte, the statues representing the "Four Last Things" (Heaven, Hell, Death and Judgment), and the larger than life-sized statues of the prophets Moses and Elias and the apostles Peter and Paul. The library contains well over 100,000 volumes, including 1,100 manuscripts and 900 early printed books.

The Admont Benedictine abbey church is dominated by twin towers 70m/230ft high and is triple-naved. It contains an Immaculata by Martin Altomonte and a carved Nativity group ("crib") of 1755. Embroidered tapestries surround the high altar, in front of which stands a copy of "Our Lady of Admont" (the original dated 1310 is in the Graz Joanneum).

The Admont Benedictine abbey has a Museum of the History of Art, containing among its exhibits works by the wood-sculptor Josef Thaddäus Stammel (1695-1765), who was responsible for many of the beautiful sculptures in the church and library. There are also works linked to the history of the monastery.

The Natural History Museum in the Admont Benedictine Abbey has a large collection of insects, birds and mammals, as well as one of minerals. Adjoining it is the Admont local museum.