Driving in to visit Admont Abbey for the first time and seeing the backdrop of the Austrian Alps, Admont Abbey Library is a place that feels suspended in time. Often called the most beautiful library in the world, this place is a Baroque treasure located inside a working Benedictine monastery in the town of Admont, Austria. From the moment I stepped through its massive doors, I knew it was something extraordinary. While it is certainly a different kind of beauty, it feels right at home nestled in the Austria Alps. It’s almost hard to decide which is more beautiful: the giant mountains or the inside of the stunning library.
I had the opportunity to photograph the library during a private session before it opened to the public. I started working on a new photography collection of fine art prints titled “Beautiful Libraries of the World” in 2025 and what better place to start than with Admont Abbey? As I had the place to myself for 30-45 minutes, the stillness of the air and the soft morning light spilling through the tall windows made the space feel even more sacred. Getting the obligatory “hero” shot of the entire hall with the beautiful flooring, elegant ceiling and tall bookshelves out of the way first, I turned my attention to individual scenes pretty quickly. I worried a bit about the early morning light spilling in the east windows and whether it would create too much harshness on the western walls, but I think it actually worked in my favor to create something a little more unique than the other evenly-lit scenes out there. Once the grand hall was captured, I photographed the beautiful ceiling mural along with individual knooks and crannies. In fact, our guide even showed us one of the hidden passage-ways that swings open to reveal a tight circular staircase up to the second floor where he said “only paters can go”. Meaning it was for the monks.
As I wondered around, I was particularly interested in a stepladder. I worked a few angles of it until I finally settled on the scene below, which might be my favorite in all of my beautiful libraries collection. The way the light was hitting the small stepladder and inviting the user to climb up and find the perfect book came together just right.
The Legacy and History of Admont Abbey
Founded in 1074, Admont Abbey is the oldest existing monastery in Styria, Austria. The library itself is the oldest monastic library in the entire world. For centuries, it has served as a place where art, religion and learning come together. While the monastery itself is impressive in its own right (and fully worth a visit), the library, completed in 1776, draws visitors from around the world.
Having been designed by architect Josef Hueber, the library is a masterclass in Baroque architecture. Stretching over 70 meters long, it features a central dome and seven ceiling frescoes painted by Bartolomeo Altomonte. Each piece of artwork represents various branches of human knowledge. From philosophy and theology to the sciences, it reflects the Enlightenment ideals that shaped much of Europe during the 18th-century.
The library’s collection includes an impressive 70,000+ volumes, along with medieval manuscripts and rare incunabula. Various sculptures by Josef Stammel are tucked into niches and under staircases symbolizing themes such as death, resurrection, and virtue. Together, these elements create a space that is not only visually striking, but also intellectually profound.
Beautiful Libraries of the World Collection
As a landsacpe photographer, this is a new venture for me outside of my normal photographic subjects. However, I’ve always loved history, and in recent years, have been incorporating it more and more. From barns to churches and castles to ruins, adding a new collection for beautiful libraries just felt like a nice fit. Admont Abbey was an amazing first subject and blended history, art, and atmosphere so perfectly that it will be hard for future libraries to stack up against it! The way the light played across the gilded details and marble columns makes it feel more like a palace hall than a library sometimes. It’s no wonder it’s considered one of the most beautiful libraries in Europe, though photos alone honestly can’t do justice to the experience of being there in person.
This shoot is part of my ongoing series, Beautiful Libraries of the World, which celebrates architecturally and culturally significant libraries across the globe. Admont Abbey Library becomes the first library in this growing collection that also includes Abbey Library of St. Gallen in Switzerland with more gems being planned.
All of the images above were taken on my private photography session at Admont Abbey. The abbey’s website can be found at www.stiftadmont.at and contains much more information regarding both the library and the monastery itself. Special thanks to Admont Abbey and their staff for graciously hosting me and allowing me to capture these images for my Beautiful Libraries collection.