Krems
A Visit to Göttweig Abbey
After a peaceful morning sailing through the Wachau Valley, our ship docked in Krems for the excursion to Göttweig Abbey. The fog limited visibility on our motorcoach trip to the abbey, but we still enjoyed traveling through the Austrian countryside. When we reached the abbey, our guide led us through the trees into the monastery grounds.
A small chapel sat tucked among the trees. Inside, it was quiet, lit only by natural light, and unheated. Our guide noted that many areas in the abbey are unheated—something the monks live with every day.
Inside the abbey, we visited the Imperial Wing, known for its grand staircase and ceiling mural. It once welcomed imperial guests to lavish quarters. Though not as grand as the stairway, the bedrooms were still ornate — certainly fit for royalty.
The Imperial Wing Stairway
The Imperial Wing Bedroom
The next stop was the Abbey Church, formally the Church of the Assumption of Mary. The guide led us through the interior, pointing out its layers of history and the beauty of its Baroque reconstruction. We saw the nave, the choir stalls, and the side chapel just visible to the left of the stairway in the nave.
The altar in the nave was rebuilt after the 1718 fire, and the choir stalls used by the monks during services date from the mid‑1700s. The pipe organ above the entrance was also part of the post‑fire reconstruction. Its gold‑covered woodwork and sculptural detail mirror the altar and choir, and it is still used today for services and concerts. The high altar in the side chapel beneath the main altar is the oldest part of the church, dating to around 1072. A quiet look into this peaceful room was a fitting way to end the visit to Göttweig Abbey.
The Rest of the Day
While we were at the abbey, the Viking Egil continued upstream to Tulln, where our motorcoach dropped us off. A sculpture symbolizing the peaceful meeting of East and West, along with the Tulln Town Hall (1898), were the only sights we had time to see before boarding the ship for the continuing journey.
The rest of the day was spent enjoying activities on the ship. Dorothy attended an apple strudel demonstration that left her wanting to bake one — but only for an instant. Gary accidentally stumbled upon a ballet that he surprisingly enjoyed. Spending time on the balcony would have been nice, but it was far too cold. We sailed into Vienna while we were enjoying dinner in the Restaurant. What a perfect way to end a great day.