Admont Abbey Library, Monastic library in Admont, Austria.
This monastic library spans three interconnected halls decorated with ceiling paintings, wooden carvings, and white-and-gold bookshelves holding roughly 70,000 volumes. The walls are entirely lined with books, creating an overwhelming sense of collected knowledge throughout the space.
The Benedictine monastery was established around 1074, and the Baroque library was built between 1774 and 1776 as a major renovation. This library was created to house the growing collection and support the scholarly work of the monks.
The ceiling paintings show different areas of knowledge such as sciences, arts, and religion through artistic representations. Visitors can see how learning and human achievement are displayed as interconnected subjects throughout the hall.
Access to the library is only by guided tour, offered several times daily in various languages. Visitors should allow adequate time and check conditions ahead of arrival.
In the center of the library stand four life-size wooden figures symbolically representing death, judgment, heaven, and hell. These sculptures are strikingly realistic and create an unsettling impression when viewed up close.
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