Just outside Vienna there is a monestary called Kloster Neuberg. I have been wanting to visit it for awhile now, and since the Christensen’s let us borrow their car, we drove out one morning.
The outside was very beautiful, but we learned on the tour that the monestary was supposed to be four times bigger according to the original plans because it was going to be the emporer’s residence. The emporer died after staying in the Imperial Apartment here one night and his wife preferred Schonbrunn, so the residence was never finished and it became a monestary instead.
Outside the building there was a little playground. Totally random, but the kids were SO excited to go on the bird’s nest swing.
Here we are inside the entrance hall. It was never completely finished, so the exposed brick was never covered with the traditional plaster.
This is the outside of the chapel that is attached to the monestary.
Here is the inside of the chapel. It has been here since the 1100s and was originally designed in the gothic style. The outside still shows the gothic style, but the interior was refurbished in the Baroque style because that was preferred by one of the later empresses.
The nativity was still up. The kids love going inside churches. Oliver especially liked the two organs inside this one.
The legend associated with this church is that the emporer Leopold was standing with his wife Agnes (this is a statue of her) when a gust of wind blew an expensive veil from off her head. He vowed to find it, and seven years later it was found in this location where the church was built.
Oliver and Daddy checking out an old bible, turned to Daniel.
These panels were a part of a famous alter that used to be in the church, now they are displayed like this instead.
This candelabra was part of the original furnishings of the church – which means it is really really old. I posted a picture of the explanation of the symbolism associated with it because I thought it was interesting and I am too lazy to retype it all…
This beautiful statue is a replica of one that is located in the cemetary.
This is the Verdun Altar which was made in the 1100s. The top row depicts scenes from before the flood at the time of Noah, the bottom row depicts scenes from the Old Testament starting with the rule of David, and the middle depicts scenes from the life of Christ. Each of the scenes from the Old and New Testaments are said to be allegorical of each other.
I’m not really sure what the kids are doing, but they both thought it was pretty funny. Luckily we had a very understanding tour guide!
This metal cage used to contain a silver coffin of Emporer Leopold, but they sold it to pay for one of the wars with the turks. Now his bones are in an elaborate box, and pulled out to be put on display once a year on the anniversary of his death.
These are the only remaining original panes of stained glass. The rest of the glass in the monestary has been redone at some time or another. The funny part is that these are the most elaborate windows. The redone ones are not so vivid or detailed.
We got to walk in this moist underground tunnel that leads to the wine storage. Most of the money to support this monestary comes from wine. The monestary owns all the surrounding vineyards and some other properties and are famous for their white wine. We bought some of the juice that they produce and it was really tasty – golden delicious apple juice, and white grape juice.
The kids were happy to get outside and be allowed to run around again!
More pics of the beautiful outside of the building.
What do you think this pavement is made of? Stone? Nope… it is Oak. It felt really nice to walk on. It is an outdoor covered walkway that leads into the imperial apartment of the Emporer.
