Melk Abbey is the symbol of the Wachau Valley and its steep, terraced vineyards overlooking the Danube.
The centrepiece of this complex is the library, its main hall boasting 16,000 volumes and graced with a ceiling fresco by Paul Troger. A spiral staircase leads to another set of 12 library rooms not open to the public but containing more than 100,000 volumes, some of which are extremely valuable