The weekend before last we took a train up to see the abbey in Melk. The abbey, founded in 1089 when Leopold II, a member of the Austrian nobility, gave his castle to the monks of the Benedictine order (I suggest clicking the link if you, like me, had no clue what the Benedictine order is, and would like to know), housed the Habsburg family, including Maria Therese, on several occasions when the family was en route to other locations within their expansive empire. The current abbey, they yellow baroque cathedral seen below, was constructed between the years 1702 and 173. Since the 12th century has served as both an abbey and a local school were several of the monks themselves are teachers.

Now my favorite part. Close your eyes and imagine this with me (or go ahead and just peek below. Cheater). A room with over twenty foot tall ceilings. Beautiful frescoes on the ceiling and elegantly carved bookshelves. Ah... you see where this is going? Now imagine thousands of manuscripts and hand bound books gracing these bookshelves. And a staircase that leads to a second level of even more books.

Behold, the library.