Guided tours

2012 season – 30th of March 2012 to 6th January 2013

Guided Tour – A Glimpse Behind Monastery Walls.

Since 1129 monks have been working and praying at the Convent of Rein, the oldest Cistercian monastery in the world. Rein is an active Cistercian convent housing 18 monks. In the course of excavations in the last few years, we got back to the early times of Styria. Margrave Leopold I of the noble family of the Traungauer founded the Convent of Rein. This noble family of Steyr initiated the colonization of this country and called it Styria. The grave of the founder in St. Mary’s Chapel is one of the highlights of every guided tour. Furthermore, visitors are shown the Chapel of the Cross, the Basilica, the Old Convent including the Summer Refectory and the Chapel of St. Mary. Daily at 13:30 p.m.

Guided tour of the library: Chronicle of an Order.

Who are the Cistercians? Where did they come from? What made them so successful all over Europe in the Middle Ages? Original documents and manuscripts give us some insight into the origin of the Cistercians and their religious activities and document their achievements in the field of viticulture and forestry, their work as teachers and composers. They also describe the contribution of the order towards the development of Styria and the political influence of the monks. The guided tour of the library leads us through the side choirs of the Basilica to the Old Convent and the Gallery of the Abbots. Daily at 10:30 pm.

The exhibitions may only be visited as part of a guided tour. Guided tours in German are provided daily at 10.30 am and 13:30 pm.

Groups booked in advance
are welcomed daily throughout the year for guided tours in English between 9am and 5 pm. The monks are glad to welcome worshippers to the choral service at 12 noon or to Holy Mass on Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days of Obligation.

Recommended duration of a guided tour: 2 hours.

Rein Monastery also offers “Monastery Retreats” for men.
To apply phone +43 (0) 3124-51621-53 or august.janisch@stift-rein.at