In the 15th century, the monks decided to move away from elaborate religious practices and return to a simple, disciplined life, said the tour guide at Stift Melk.

During this time, one of the monks created a reusable coffin. The coffin was basic and a money-saver for the monastery, said the tour guide.

After a funeral, the coffin's trap door would release the body into the grave, so it wasn't buried with the body. Then the same coffin would be used at the next funeral.

It was a short-lived idea, said the tour guide. To me, it seemed too quirky for the fantastic monastery.

The church at Stift Melk is one of the most beautiful that I’ve seen during my time abroad. Detailed frescos and gold-trimmed walls and columns contribute to its vivid interior splendor. Yet, the décor isn’t overwhelming because of the church’s intimate size.

Fortunately the church’s beauty wasn’t destroyed.

Stift Melk’s existence has been threatened several times. It survived dissolution during the reign of Austrian Emperor Joseph II, who disbanded many abbeys in the late 1700s. It was also threatened by the Napoleonic Wars, which lasted through the early 1800s, and Nazi occupation of Austria (the fascist regime didn’t believe in traditional, religious values). While the Nazis confiscated Stift Melk’s secondary school and other parts of the abbey, they didn’t dissolve the monastery.

Top photo: A reusable coffin in the museum at Stift Melk.
At right: Looking back from the altar inside the church.