Well rested, we continue our journey in Artstetten. The route continues along the hilly Danube ridge, with small ascents and descents, until we reach the village of Leiben with its castle of the same name. After a detour to the castle, we leave the village via a small asphalt road. The path then climbs briefly again to a forested area, and then the country road leads down toward the Danube, where a first view of the UNESCO Abbey of Melk and the town of Melk opens up to our left. At a bridge, we turn sharply left into a dead-end street, where a sunken lane leads downward. We cross the railway—CAUTION—and thus reach Weitenegg. There we cross the main road and follow the gravel road through the floodplain area, finally arriving at the Melk Danube Power Station. While crossing the Danube, you can now see the Benedictine Abbey of Melk clearly, majestically enthroned on a hill on the riverbank.

And directly below, right in front of the entrance to the town, stands the next JerusalemWay Peace Dove! What a special place—tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world pass by here every year on their way from the ship to Melk Abbey. There are therefore even THREE different JerusalemWay stamps in Melk: one at the tourist information office (with a dove and a lion as symbols of the town), one afterward at Cafe Braun (known for its good cream rolls), and the third stamp is obtained by the pilgrim at the abbey gate. This one shows St. Coloman beautifully enclosed in a round seal, see photo below. The abbey was built from 1702 to 1746 and is considered the landmark of the Wachau. This dominant Baroque building still houses the Melk Abbey Gymnasium today. Melk Abbey is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. We should use the remaining time to visit the abbey—the souvenir shop is also worth a visit! By the way, there are small peace doves made of olive wood from Bethlehem, and there should still be some time left for a stroll through the town. After this impressive day, we find accommodation in Melk and can meditate a bit more on the abbey and our pilgrimage.

If you would like to walk a bit further, you can get accommodation in 3392 Schönbühel an der Donau at the Pilgerherberge Patrizia. Important: Contact in advance to check if it is open. Contact details below.

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Pilgrim Accommodations

Examples of accommodations:

– At Melk Abbey, ask if pilgrim rooms are available

– 3390 Melk, Pension Marillenhof, Johann-Steinböck-Straße 2, Tel. +436766481766
– 3392 Schönbühel an der Donau, Pilgerherberge Patrizia, Schönbühel 42, Tel. +436642521424