Location: Sankt Florian, 19km (12 miles) Southeast of Linz, Upper Austria Map
Tel. +43 (0)7224 8902 0
Official site
The Abbey of Saint Florian, commonly known as St. Florian Monastery or Stift Sankt Florian, is a historic Augustinian priory located in the town of Sankt Florian in the Linz-Land District of Upper Austria, approximately 14 kilometers southeast of Linz. As the largest Baroque monastery in Upper Austria and one of the oldest continuously operating Augustinian communities in the world, it exemplifies grandeur in ecclesiastical architecture and cultural heritage. Dedicated to Saint Florian—a 3rd-4th century Roman military commander martyred for his Christian faith and revered as the patron saint of firefighters—the abbey is built over his presumed grave. The site attracts visitors for its stunning Baroque aesthetics, musical legacy tied to composer Anton Bruckner, and serene atmosphere, often described as a hidden gem compared to more crowded sites like Melk Abbey.
The abbey's origins trace back to the Carolingian period in the early 9th century, when a monastery was established on the site known as the "place above the saint’s grave," referencing Saint Florian's martyrdom around 304 AD in the Enns River for refusing to renounce Christianity. In 1071, it was refounded as an Augustinian canonry, adopting the Rule of St. Augustine, and has housed a continuous community of Augustinian Canons ever since, making it one of the oldest such institutions globally. The monastery prospered economically through property acquisitions and played a key role in regional development. A major transformation occurred between 1686 and 1708, when it was rebuilt in Baroque style following a fire, under the direction of Italian architect Carlo Antonio Carlone, with Austrian Jakob Prandtauer completing the work after Carlone's death. In 1827, Father Josef Chmel discovered the Sankt Florian Psalter, a rare illuminated manuscript with Psalms in Latin, German, and Polish, now preserved in Poland's National Library. During the reign of Emperor Joseph II in the late 18th century, the abbey faced expropriation but recovered. In the 19th century, Anton Bruckner served as organist from 1848 to 1855, composing works here. World War II brought hardship: in January 1941, the Gestapo seized the property, expelling the monks, and it was repurposed by the Reichsrundfunkgesellschaft from 1942. The canons returned post-1945, restoring the abbey's functions. Today, under Provost Johann Holzinger (since 2005), it thrives as a spiritual and cultural center.
St. Florian Abbey is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture, often rivaling Melk and Klosterneuburg Abbeys in splendor, and is considered by some as Austria's finest example due to its scale and intricate design. The reconstruction from 1686 to 1750 spanned 65 years and involved architects Carlone, Prandtauer, and Johann Gotthard Hayberger for the library wing (started 1744). The complex incorporates earlier Romanesque and Gothic elements, such as church walls and the south tower, overlaid with Baroque veneers. The Abbey Basilica features a three-storey façade with two 80-meter-high towers topped by domes and lanterns, flanked by mighty white half-pedestals and winding entablatures. The courtyard is enclosed by wings: the west wing (1695-1708) with a grand staircase and three-storey portal; the south wing (1718-1724) with the pavilion-like Marble Hall as a landmark; and the east wing (1744-1750) centering the library. Unexecuted plans included a twin theatre and French garden, but the Summer Refectory (1724/25-1730) was completed. Artisans from Upper Austria contributed richly to stucco work, frescoes, sculptures, and 18th-century furnishings, emphasizing Baroque grandeur and illusionistic techniques.
The interiors showcase opulent Baroque details, with frescoes, stucco, and optical illusions creating immersive spaces. The Marble Hall (Imperial Marble Hall) is a highlight, designed for royal entertainment, with pink marble walls (some painted to mimic marble), tall windows, trompe-l'œil ceiling frescoes depicting allegorical symbols and 3D effects that follow the viewer, and portraits with throne-like seats. The Library, a late-Baroque hall built 1744-1750, holds 130,000-150,000 volumes, including 1,000 medieval manuscripts and incunabula, with wooden paneling, a mezzanine, and a ceiling fresco by Bartolomeo Altomonte and Antonio Tassi symbolizing "the marriage of virtue and science, protected by religion." The Abbey Basilica, elevated to minor basilica status in 1999 and dedicated to Saints Florian and Augustine, features unpretentious frescoes by Johann Anton Gumpp and Johann Melchior Steidl, stucco by Bartolomeo Carlone, and the renowned Bruckner Organ—one of Austria's largest, with 103 stops, four manuals, and 7,343 pipes. The Crypt contains a 13th-century discovery of over 6,000 Christian bones from Roman times, Bruckner's coffin, and the Sebastian Altar with paintings by Albrecht Altdorfer of the Danube School. The art gallery displays 16th-17th century works and late medieval pieces. Adjacent is the Upper Austrian Fire Brigade Museum, honoring St. Florian's patronage.
The abbey is a cultural beacon, associated with Anton Bruckner, who was a choirboy and organist here, and is buried beneath the organ; his symphonies reflect its influence. The St. Florian Boys' Choir, established in 1071, performs sacred music for monastic worship and international tours, recordings, and TV appearances. It symbolizes Baroque ecclesiastical enthusiasm and historical resilience, with artifacts like the Sankt Florian Psalter highlighting multilingual medieval scholarship. The site provided imperial accommodations and remains economically vital, fostering discussions on martyrdom, faith, and art.
The list of prelates is largely based on the magnificent manuscript,
which was commissioned by Provost Johann Georg Wiesmayr in 1740 by the
Florian canon Johann Evangelist Pachl (1677–1744) and transferred to
parchment in decorative handwriting by the valet Karl Anselm Heiss.
Hartmann, officiated 1071-1099, first provost of the 1071 reformed
monastery
Isimbert, officiated 1099–1123
Dietmar I, officiated
1124–1152
Henry I, officiated 1153–1172
Engelbert I, officiated
1172–1202
Otto, officiated 1203-1213, from 1214 Bishop of Gurk
Altmann, officiated 1213–1223
Bernhard, officiated 1224–1240
Dietmar II, officiated 1240–1250
Arnold I, officiated 1250–1256
Sibito, officiated 1257–1258
Arnold II, officiated 1258–1271
Conrad, officiated 1272–1277
Ulschalk, officiated 1277–1283
Ulrich
von Patnanger (* in Enns), officiated 1283–1295
Einwik Weizlan (* in
Enns), officiated 1295–1313
Henry II of Marsbach, officiated
1314–1321
Wernher von Winkel, officiated 1322–1331
Henry III
Piber, officiated 1331–1350
John I, officiated 1350–1353
Weigand
Mosinger, officiated 1354–1372
Albert of Rana, officiated 1372–1381
Stephan Zainkgraben (Zeingraben), officiated 1382–1407
Jodok I
Pernschlag, officiated 1407–1417
Kaspar I Seisenecker, officiated
1417–1436
Lukas Fridensteiner von Maur, officiated 1436–1459,
received the pontificals from Pope Pius II Piccolomini (1458–1464), i.
H. that from this point on he was allowed to wear episcopal insignia and
perform episcopal official acts.
Johann II Stieger, officiated
1459–1467
Kaspar II Vorster, officiated 1467–1481
Peter II
Sieghartner, officiated 1481–1483
Leonhard Riesenschmied (* in
Lembach im Mühlkreis), officiated 1483-1508
Peter III Maurer (* in
St. Florian), officiated 1508-1545, resigned as provost
Florian Muth
(born 1491 in St. Florian), officiated 1545–1553
Siegmund
Pfaffenhofer (* in St. Florian), officiated 1553–1572
Georg I Freuter
(* in Coburg), officiated 1573–1598
Vitus (Veit) Widmann († January
20, 1612), officiated 1599–1612
Leopold I. Zehetner (* 1573 in St.
Florian; † September 30, 1646), officiated as provost 1612-1646
Mathias Gotter (* in Krummau), officiated as provost 1646-1666
David
Fuhrmann (* 1621 in Straubing; † October 6, 1689 in Linz), officiated
1667-1689, first Lateran abbot
Matthäus I von Weißenberg (* 1644 in
Steyr; † 1700 in St. Florian), officiated as provost 1689-1700
Franz
Klausius (Clausius) Kröll, officiated as provost 1700-1716
John III
Födermayr, who served as provost from 1716 to 1732, had Hohenbrunn
Palace built
Johann Georg II Wiesmayr (born April 4, 1695),
officiated as provost 1732–1755
Engelbert II Hofmann, officiated as
provost 1755–1766
Matthew II Gogl, officiated as provost 1766–1777
Leopold II Trulley, officiated as provost 1777–1793
Michael I.
Ziegler, officiated as provost 1793–1823
Michael II Arneth,
officiated as provost 1823–1854
Friedrich Mayer, officiated as
provost 1854-1858
Jodok II. Stülz, officiated as provost 1859-1872
Ferdinand Moser, officiated as provost 1872-1901
Josef Sailer,
officiated as provost 1901-1920, abbot general of the Austrian
Augustinian Canons Congregation 1907-1920
Vinzenz Hartl, officiated
as provost 1920-1944
Leopold Hager, officiated as provost 1944-1968,
resigned in 1968
Johannes Zauner, officiated as provost 1968-1977
Wilhelm Neuwirth, officiated as provost 1977-2005, 1987-2002 abbot
general of the Austrian Augustinian Canons' Congregation
Johannes
Holzinger (born April 12, 1951), has served as provost since 2005