Welcome to Seitenstetten Abbey
Seitenstetten Abbey is a living Benedictine monastery in the heart of the Mostviertel, Lower Austria. Founded in 1112 and rebuilt in the 18th century, it is known as the ‘Vierkanter Gottes’ – God’s four-sided farmhouse – referring to the typical square farmsteads of the region. More than 20 monks still live, pray and work here today.
On this page you will find everything you need to know before visiting the beautiful Seitenstetten Abbey.
About the Abbey
The Baroque abbey encloses its church on all four sides and houses some of Austria’s finest monastic interiors. The highlights of a visit:
- Abbey Church and Knights’ Chapel – the Romanesque Knights’ Chapel is the oldest surviving part of the abbey.
- Abbey Staircase and Marble Hall – ceremonial rooms with frescoes by Paul Troger and Bartolomeo Altomonte.
- Abbey Library – one of the most remarkable monastic libraries in Austria, both in design and in the way it has been preserved.
- Abbots’ Gallery – 900 years of abbey history in one walk-through exhibition.
- Art Gallery – one of Austria’s largest monastic art collections, from old masters to contemporary work.
- Natural History Cabinet – curiosities collected by the monks over the centuries.
A secondary school, an adult education centre, a country inn (‘Stiftsmeierhof’) and the Historic Court Garden are all part of the abbey complex. Seitenstetten Abbey is one of Lower Austria’s top excursion destinations. The Niederösterreich-CARD is accepted here.
Visiting the Abbey
The abbey is open to individual visitors from 28 March to 8 November 2026 (closed on 1 November), daily from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00. Last admission is at 16:00. Outside the season the abbey can only be visited by pre-booked groups.
You can explore the abbey in three ways:
Self-guided visit – daily. Includes the Abbey Church, the Knights’ Chapel, the Abbots’ Gallery, the Art Gallery and the Promulgation Hall.
Audio-guide tour – daily, 60–90 minutes at your own pace. Includes everything from the self-guided visit plus the Abbey Staircase and the Historic Court Garden. The audio guide is available in English. You can borrow the device for a deposit of € 10 at the abbey shop or download the free Hearonymus app and listen on your own phone – even before you arrive. Headphones are available for € 1.
Guided tour – Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 10:00 and 14:30, approximately 75 minutes. Includes the Abbey Church, the Knights’ Chapel, the Crypt Chapel, the Sacristy, the Abbey Library, the Natural History Cabinet and the Promulgation Hall. Tours are held in German. Tours in English can be arranged for groups on request.
| Ticket | Adults | Seniors / reduced | Pupils & students | Family (up to 3 children under 16) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-guided visit | € 10.50 | € 9.50 | € 6.50 | € 21.00 |
| Audio-guide tour | € 13.00 | € 12.00 | € 9.00 | € 26.00 |
| Guided tour | € 14.00 | € 13.00 | € 10.00 | € 28.00 |
The self-guided visit is free with the Niederösterreich-CARD; the guided tour costs an additional € 4.50 for Niederösterreich-CARD holders. Tickets are available at the abbey shop or online (booking site in German):
Group visits
Groups are welcome all year round by prior arrangement. Guided tours are available for groups of 15 or more. One person in every 21 goes free. Please book a few days in advance by phone +43 7477 423 00-223 or by e-mail kultur@stift-seitenstetten.at. The Niederösterreich-CARD is not valid for group tickets.
| Group offers | Duration | Adults | Pupils & students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided tour of the abbey (Knights’ Chapel, Crypt Chapel, Abbey Church, Sacristy, Abbey Library, Natural History Cabinet and Promulgation Hall) | approx. 75 min | € 13.00 | € 9.00 |
| Guided tour of the Historic Court Garden | approx. 50 min | € 8.00 | € 6.00 |
| Combined ticket (Knights’ Chapel, Crypt Chapel, Abbey Church, Sacristy, Abbey Library, Promulgation Hall, Historic Court Garden) | approx. 2 h | € 19.50 | € 15.50 |
| Themed garden tour (choose between three themes: medicinal herbs, the monks’ vegetable garden, ‘the garden in the rain’) | approx. 75 min | € 10.00 | |
| Special tour ‘Hidden rooms – the Mineral Cabinet’ | € 11.00 | ||
| Special tour ‘Art in the abbey – from antiquity to modern times’ | € 11.00 | ||
| Liqueur and brandy tasting (only available in addition to another guided tour) | approx. 45 min | € 11.00 |
Combined packages are also available with Sonntagberg Basilica (pilgrimage church and treasury, a 15-minute drive away) and with the abbey’s events in the Historic Court Garden.
The Historic Court Garden
In front of the abbey lies the Historic Court Garden – the ‘jewel of the Mostviertel’. Laid out in 1756 by Father Joseph Schaukegel and restored in the 1990s, it is tended by the monks and their gardeners under the motto: Fools rush, the wise wait, the wisest go into the garden.
Admission to the garden is free; a small donation towards its upkeep is welcome. Deckchairs, benches and a large garden swing invite you to linger or picnic. Allow about an hour for a relaxed walk.
What you will find:
- Baroque parterre – the original 18th-century axis with the great fountain and granite vases at its centre.
- Greenhouse – planned in 1770; its traditional flue heating still works, and helps protect tender plants in winter.
- Herb garden – around 260 herbs grow in more than 30 beds, continuing the tradition of medieval monastic medicine.
- Historic rose garden – mostly old roses bred before 1867, with strongly scented white, pink and purple blooms in June.
- Farmhouse garden and orchard – vegetables, flowers and fruit trees, including rarities such as persimmon and pawpaw.
- Rosary labyrinth – a quiet space for reflection, with its outer ring planted with roses and clipped box hedging.
- Drying house and Stiftsmeierhof – the restored fruit-drying house, built around 1917, and the former home farm of 1775, which now houses the garden academy and the Stiftsmeierhof inn.
Seitenstetten is also where Austria’s first potatoes were grown 400 years ago. Twelve historic varieties still grow in the garden today.
Garden opening hours
| Period | Daily |
|---|---|
| 28 – 31 March | 8:00 – 17:00 |
| 1 April – 30 September | 8:00 – 20:00 |
| 1 October – 30 November | 8:00 – 17:00 |
| 1 December – 27 March | closed |
Every year the garden hosts the Spring Plant Market (April), the Seitenstetten Garden Days (mid-June, admission charged) and the Handicrafts & Plant Market (September).
Abbey Shop
The abbey shop by the entrance is where your visit begins. Here you can buy your tickets, collect your audio guide and meet your guide for a guided tour. It stocks the monks’ own liqueurs and fruit brandies, books written by the abbey’s monks, regional crafts and specialities from the Historic Court Garden – ideal for picking up a small souvenir. Cards accepted.
Staying overnight
You can stay inside the abbey walls. The abbey has 25 simply furnished yet comfortable guest rooms (shower, WC, hairdryer, Wi-Fi); the adjacent Stiftsmeierhof offers rooms with a TV. Guests are welcome to join the monks for their daily prayers in the Knights’ Chapel.
| Room (2026 rates) | Price per night |
|---|---|
| Abbey – single room | from € 42.00 |
| Abbey – twin room | from € 37.00 per person |
| Stiftsmeierhof – double room | from € 56.00 per person |
| Stiftsmeierhof – double for single use | from € 62.00 |
| Breakfast buffet (7:00 – 9:00) | € 10.50 per person |
Prices do not include the local tourist tax (€ 2.60 per person per night, from age 16) and a short-stay surcharge of € 9 per person for stays under 3 nights (no surcharge for children up to 12). Half and full board are available for groups of 10 or more. Enquiries: kultur@stift-seitenstetten.at or +43 7477 423 00.
Opening hours at a glance
| Period | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Abbey (self-guided & audio guide) | 28 March – 8 November | daily 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:00, last admission 16:00 |
| Guided tours | 28 March – 8 November | Sat, Sun & public holidays, 10:00 and 14:30 |
| Guided tours for groups | all year round | on request |
| Abbey shop | 28 March – 8 November | daily 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:00 |
| Abbey shop | 1–27 March, 9 November – 23 December | Mon–Fri 9:00–11:30 |
| Abbey shop | 24 December – 28 February | closed |
| Court Garden | 1 April – 30 September | daily 8:00–20:00 |
| Court Garden | 28–31 March, 1 October – 30 November | daily 8:00–17:00 |
| Court Garden | 1 December – 27 March | closed |
Seitenstetten Abbey and its attractions are closed on 1 November, 8 December and Good Friday.
Services in the Abbey Church: Sundays and public holidays at 8:30, 10:00 and 19:00. Visitors are welcome to join the monks’ sung evening prayer (Vespers) daily at 17:30.
Getting there
Seitenstetten is located in the Mostviertel region of Lower Austria, about 170 km east of Salzburg and about 150 km west of Vienna.
- By car: On the A1 motorway (Westautobahn), take exit Haag if coming from Salzburg or exit Oed if coming from Vienna. From there it’s another 10–15 minutes’ drive; the route to Seitenstetten is signposted. There is free parking beside the Historic Court Garden.
- By train: Take the train (ÖBB or Westbahn) to Amstetten or St. Valentin, change to a regional train to St. Peter-Seitenstetten. The abbey is a 3 km walk or a short taxi ride from the station.
- Address: Am Klosterberg 1, 3353 Seitenstetten, Austria
Contact
Benediktinerstift Seitenstetten
Am Klosterberg 1, 3353 Seitenstetten, Austria
Phone: +43 7477 423 00-223
E-mail: kultur@stift-seitenstetten.at
We are happy to answer your questions in English.
