Page 175 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

ST Y RIA  173

The richly ornamented library in the 12th-century Augustinian Vorau Abbey
to be burned to the ground two identical towers. One wing 8 Pöllau
following a rebellion led by contains the cloister; in the other Road map F4. * 6,000.
Count Andreas Baumkircher. wing are the prelacy and the n (03335) 4210.
Today its main sights of interest magnificent fresco- and stucco- ∑ naturpark-poellauertal.at
are the parish church, with a adorned library with its low
lovely Renaissance altarpiece, barrel-vaulted ceiling. On Pöllau lies at the centre of a
and its picturesque old the floor above is the national park, surrounded
houses, including the cabinet of manuscripts, by woodland, vineyards and
house of Johannes decorated with ceiling walking trails. The town’s
Brahms at No. 4 paintings of the Gods, main attractions are the former
Wiener Strasse. the Virtues and The Augustinian Abbey and, above
Also worth visiting Immaculate. It all, the lovely St Veit’s church.
is the Winter con tains some Built between 1701 and 1712
Sports Museum 415 valuable by Joachim Carlone of the
which has a large manu scripts, includ- famous family of architects from
collection of objects ing the oldest annals Graz, this is a splendid example
and memorabilia of poetry in the of Styrian Baroque. The building
relating to all aspects German language – is vast: the main nave and
of winter sports. Bust of Johannes Brahms, the Vorauer Hand- presbytery measure 62 m (203 ft),
who lived in Mürzzuschlag schrift and the the transept 37 m (121 ft) and
E Winter Sports famous Kaiserchronik. the dome is 42 m (138 ft) high.
Museum The abbey church, dedi cated The vaults and the inside of the
Wiener Strasse 13. Open 9am– to St Thomas, acquired its dome are decorated with
12:30pm & 2–5pm Tue–Sun. sumptuous decor in 1700–5. It trompe l’oeil frescoes by Mathias
Closed 1 Jan, Shrove Tuesday, has a main altarpiece by von Görz, depicting the four
1 Nov, 24–25 Dec, 31 Dec. & Matthias Steinl, who also fathers of the church, two
created the beautifully orna- Augustinian saints and the 12
mented pulpit. apostles. The main altarpiece
7 Vorau The small nearby town of Vorau has a monumental painting
Road map F4. * 4,800. @ has an Open-air Museum by Josef Adam von Mölk
n Stift Vorau, (03337) 2351. (Freilichtmuseum) with a fascin- showing the martyrdom of the
ating collection of typical homes patron saint, St Veit.
On a remote hill stands the and public buildings (school,
12th-century Augustinian Vorau phar macy, smithy) from neigh- Environs: About 6 km (4 miles)
Abbey. In the 15th cen tury, the bouring villages, complete with northeast of Pöllau, high up
abbey was turned into a fortress; their distinctive furnishings. on Pöllauberg, stands the
its present form is the result of 14th-century Gothic pilgrimage
alterations made throughout E Open-air Museum church of Maria-Lebing, with
the 17th and 18th centuries. The Tel (03337) 3466. Open Apr–Oct: vault frescoes by Mölk and two
main entrance has symmetrical 10am–5pm daily (Jul & Aug: 9am– statues of the Virgin Mary from
wings on both sides, adjoining 5pm daily). & the 15th and 17th centuries.

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