STAMMEL, Josef Thaddäus
(b. 1695, Graz, d. 1765, Admont)

Interior view

c. 1760
Photo
Collegiate Library, Admont

Admont Abbey is a Benedictine monastery located in the town of Admont, Austria. It is the oldest remaining monastery in Styria and contains the largest monastic library in the world.

While the abbey itself was completed in 1074 the library (late Baroque) was not completed until 1776. It was commissioned by Abbot Matthäus Offner (reigned 1751-1779) and built by the Graz Master Builder Josef Hueber (1715-1787).

Adorning the ceilings are seven frescoes by Bartolomeo Altomonte. The sculptures were made by master Baroque sculptor Josef Stammel. Particularly famous is The Four Last Things, a group of four oversized presentations of Death, the Last Judgement, Heaven and Hell.

The library collection comprises some 200,000 volumes. The most valuable treasures are the more than 1,400 manuscripts (the earliest from the 8th century) and the 530 incunabula (early printed books before 1500).