The MondSeeLand, home to both Mondsee and Irrsee lake, has been a popular holiday destination for decades. At just 27 km away from the city of Salzburg it serves as a wonderful get-away from the  bustle of city life.  The fresh mountain air and the serenity of the lake will calm the nerves of even the most uptight of visitors. 

Mondsee is primarily a summer destination but the

Schloss Mondsee, formerly, the oldest Benedictine monastery in Austria dates back to 739. It was also boarding school, and a lodging for travellers going between Salzburg and Kremsmünster monastery. In 1810 it became a castle.  Today the Schloss is a luxurious hotel offering 62 large apartments between 45 and 72 square meters, all of which will comfortably sleep up to 4 people.

winter months are extremely beautiful. With snow covered ground and the backdrop of the Alps visitors are left in awe at this place.  Mondsee is also gaining critical acclaim for its Christmas markets which centre around the church, with handicrafts inside and local delicacies and warming Gluhwein served next to open fires outside.  We hope you’ll enjoy the town as much as we do.

This beautiful Collegiate Church of St Michael, Mondsee was formerly the church of the monastery adjacent to it.  It was first built in 748 by Odilo, Duke of Bavaria and used by resident monks from Monte Cassino in Italy.

In 831 King Louis the Pious gave the monastery to Regensburg Cathedral in whose hands it remained until  1142 when under Abbot Conrad II it regained its own independence. 

In 1506 possession of the Mondseeland passed from Bavaria to Austria. In

1748 Under Abbot Bernhard Lidl marking the celebration of the thousandth anniversary of the foundation, there was extensive re-building of the church and the monastic premises.  In 1791 however the abbey was subsequently dissolved by Emperor Leopold II.

During the Napoleonic period the Mondseeland reverted to Bavaria for a few years. In 1810, the abandoned monastery was acquired by the Bavarian military and used it as a castle. Wrede, the then Bavarian Field Marshal retained ownership even after the territory was returned to Austria. In 1905  the then Princess died passing the ownership to Counts Almeida, whose descendants sold it in 1985.

Movie fans will know that the church was used in the 1965 film “the sound of music” and more details can be found by clicking here.