Monastery Library

The Monastery library belongs to the most ancient and most impressive ones in Austria. The gorgeous main hall in late-Baroque impresses by the mighty bookshelves that practically isolate the sphere of the spirit. The colourful ceiling fresco (1747) by Bartolomeo Altomonte (figures) and by Antonio Tassi (architectural painting) shows the marriage of virtue and science under protection of the religion.

The Monastery library possesses a total number of 150,000 volumes out of which 108,000 volumes (60,000 titles) date back before 1900. 952 titles (i.e. 1.6 per cent) are incunables. 35,443 volumes (59.2 per cent) originate from the 16th to the 18th century, while 23,493 volumes (39.2 per cent) come from the 19th century. 800 medieval handscripts present the most precious treasure.

 
Four showcases in the main hall contain approx. 50 volumes and 600 sheets of cartography from the 16th to the 20th century. They mostly deal with geography, but also genealogy, heraldic and war history. The exlibris collection comprises 253 sheets. The oldest exlibris pieces originate from the first half of the 16th century.

In 1930, the Monastery library bought the literary remains of Rudolf Geyer (1861   1929), a Viennese orientalist. Still 20 years later, this collection was considered the most comprehensive one in Arabic literature between Berlin and Rome. Meanwhile, about a third of Geyer's books is indexed.

The Monastery library is a reference library (no lending network).
Upon notice (written or by telephone) the use for scientific purposes is possible.

Opening hours for scientific purposes:
Monday to Thursday from 8 to 12 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.
Friday from 8 to 12 a.m.

Augustiner Chorherrenstift St. Florian
Monastery Library
Stiftstrasse 1
A-4490 St. Florian
Phone: +43 (0)7224 / 8902 - 54 
Fax: +43 (0)7224 / 8902 - 60 
E-mail: bibliothek@stift-st-florian.at
Contact Person: Dr. Friedrich Buchmayr