MUSEUM OF THE FORMER CONVENT OF THE DOMINICANS

This former Dominican convent is well worth a visit. The church, in pure Gothic style, now houses art exhibitions. It was built on the initiative of Duke Leopold VI over a period of 45 years. Although the church was consecrated as early as 1265, it wasn't until 1330 that the choir was completed. The monastery adjacent to the church is Baroque in style. As soon as they were completed, the monastery and church became a gathering and pilgrimage point for people from all over the region. The complex was finally desacralized in 1786. The buildings were in turn converted into factories, theaters and cinemas. At the end of the ^19th century, the monks' cells were converted into apartments. After extensive renovation, the city of Krems opened a museum in 1969. The former chapter house offers a panorama of the region's history and local traditions. History is traced from the Paleolithic to the Middle Ages. The cellars house a successful museography on the work of the vine and the cult of Bacchus. Exhibitions by contemporary artists in the southern cloister and the former monks' chambers complete the offer.

The guided tour reveals how a Dominican monastery became a museum. We also learn when the Danube bridge in Krems was built, what Krems looked like in the days of the "Kremser Schmidt", and the current status of Krems mustard.