Today, we are rounding out our #WahrzeichenWednesday series with a second visit to Lower Austria #Niederösterreich. The Melk abbey is thus our 18th and final #Wahrzeichen. Check back next week for our new series! 

Situated on a hillside above the Danube river in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Wachau region of Austria, the Melk abbey was founded in 1089. The abbey has had a writing room and documented monastic school since 1160. The monastic school was later converted into a contemporary Gymnasium (university preparatory high school) in 1707, making it the oldest continually operating school in Austria today. In fact, it is one of the oldest continually operating schools in the world.

The Melk Benedictine abbey was renovated and converted into its current Baroque form between 1702 and 1746 and has since been described as "the most emblematic and dominant Baroque edifice" in Austria by British-American historian Steven Beller. For locals, it remains one of Lower Austria's most iconic #Wahrzeichen.

© Österreich Werbung / Cross Media Redaktion (photos 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10); Österreich Werbung / Volker Preusser (photo 3); Wikicommons / Paul Troger (photo 7); Brigitte Kobler (photo 8)