Stift Waldhausen, Baroque monastery in Waldhausen im Strudengau, Austria.
Stift Waldhausen is a Baroque monastery with a church featuring multiple side chapels and ornate interior decorations. The walls and ceilings display layers of frescoes and paintings that reflect different artistic periods.
The Augustinian community was established in 1147 by a local nobleman and his wife who sought to build a religious center. The monks later moved from their original site to this forested area, where the monastery developed over the following centuries.
The monastery hosts seasonal musical performances that draw visitors from surrounding towns. The canons who live here continue to maintain the spiritual rhythm of the place through daily worship and community life.
The site is best reached on foot through the surrounding woodland paths that lead to the monastery buildings. Access to the interior depends on current visiting conditions, so it helps to contact ahead about what areas are open to visitors.
The name comes from 'Domus Silva', meaning house in the woods, reflecting how the founders chose this remote forested setting. The isolated location was intentional, allowing the religious community to follow their monastic practices undisturbed.
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