This is the interior of Melk Abbey in Austria. Photographs were supposedly not allowed inside the abbey, but no one really seemed to care much so I just snapped away. In theory, I suppose this means they lost the revenue from a postcard I would otherwise have bought, but I wouldn't have. So it was a win-win.
This is really amazing. From Wiki: “ Today's Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736 to designs by Jakob Prandtauer.” Quite a project to take 34 years to complete. (Like high speed rail in California.) All the gold displays required 8 pounds of gold bullion.
Paraphrasing wiki this escaped destruction several times because it was so awesome and beautiful.
It is not only beautiful, it looks like a kind of encyclopedia of religious ideas. Compared to the written word it must have been fantastic to sit there and meditate on the beautiful images of heaven and angels and such.
Thank you for this inside view of the Melk Abby*...I am particularly pleased by maybe an accidental element of the image...the young (?) girl looking up in awe from the lower left of the frame. Good work that I appreciate you sharing with us. Best Wishes, Traveller
* a little opulent for Benedictines. :>}}
*
Nice, but where is Taylor?
A very California thing to do.
Nice picture.
Nice. Its even more spectacular in person. Its next level even compared to the great cathedrals of Europe which were built for the general public.
I don't even know what to write in response to this, it's so beautiful. And expensive. I truly love people of long ago who spent way more on their buildings than made practical sense. Brings a tear to my eye... reminds me of the awe I felt when I first looked at the facade of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
God must have been pleased.
I'm joking about that, but not about this: It's truly incredible.