Admont Abbey — Forgotten Codex Riddles

Your journey begins in front of the imposing Stift Admont, founded in 1074 by Count Adalbert II of Lamberg, according to the abbey's chronicles. The Baroque abbey church, built between 1686 and 1742 by Jakob Prandtauer, stands 80 m long with a dome reaching 64 m high. It is here, on this forecourt, that the first clues will appear, inviting you to decipher the engravings adorning this Nationalerklasse Denkmal Österreich. Admont, a spiritual center of Styria, opens its doors to its past, where every stone tells a thousand-year-old story.

Continue your exploration through the nooks and crannies of Stift Admont, where the Huydecoper brothers left their mark. Although their major work is the library, the influence of these 18th-century architects can be seen in the harmony of the buildings. You will discover how monastic life shaped the town of Admont, and how pilgrims crossed the Enns river to reach this spiritual high place. The remains of the old monastic hospital from 1200, located in the Stiftsgarten, bear witness to the abbey's social commitment over the centuries.

Your quest will then lead you to the banks of the Ennsfluss bei Admont. This river has flowed through Admont since the 12th century and was a crucial medieval crossing point for pilgrims, mentioned in imperial charters from 1292. The historic bridge, connecting the abbey to the village over approximately 1 km of local river course, is the scene of new puzzles. Clues merge with the water's reflections, inviting you to go back in time to understand the vital role of this waterway in the development of Styria and the town of Admont itself.

The Marktplatz Admont, the central square of the historic village developed in the 14th century, is your next stop. Over an area of approximately 2,000 m², the 1680 fountain and the 17th-18th century bourgeois houses, linked to merchants supplying the abbey, tell of commercial vibrancy. It is here that the effervescence of Admont town is revealed, a crossroads of life and exchange where revelations about the codex await you, hidden in the local architecture and symbols.

Finally, your journey culminates at the Stiftsbibliothek Admont, the world's largest monastic library. Built between 1774 and 1776, it houses 140,000 objects, including 52,000 printed books and 1,700 medieval manuscripts. The allegorical statues by Jakob Jörger, 2.5 m high, representing Logic or Mathematics, guard this treasure of Styrian heritage. Subscribed to the ICOMOS Memoria Mundi register in 1998, this library is where the mystery of the forgotten codex will be solved, offering you a complete immersion in the history of the Barockstraße Steiermark and the culture of Admont.