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THE HISTORY OF MELKER STIFTSKELLER
The Melker Stiftskeller is part of the Melkerhof in Vienna´s Schottengasse in the first district. In this place there used to be a house with a garden, which was purchased by the Abbey of Melk on July 10th, 1438. Abbot Sigismund had a chapel erected in 1520.
During the first Turkish siege in 1529 the Melkerhof was demaged. In the following year the building was enlarged and a tower was constructed. From that tower Pater Bernhard Zapler, the bailiff of the court, observed the movements of the Turkish enemy during the second Turkish siege. Based on his observations a tunnel was dug from the cabbage-cellar in the Melkerhof to the enemy lines. The Melkerhof itself served as a hospital for the major casualities in that period.
Later the Melkerhof was enlarged to five buildings through the acquisition of adjoining houses. All of the buildings were pulled down in 1769 under Abbot Urban II following a wish of the Empress Maria Theresia. In their place the new Melkerhof, which was finished in 1774, was built. Furthermore a new chapel was built and furnished with frescos by Johann Bergl and altarpieces by Johann Schmidt, better known as Kremser Schmidt.
A certificate from 1629 proves that there was a wine-cellar connected with the Melkerhof already at that time. In addition it confirms the right of the Abbey of Melk to store and sell wine from the Abbey´s wineyards.
The Melker Stiftskeller with its exquisite cuisine developed out of this wine-cellar. It not only offers noble wines from the best crues, but is also well-known for its crisp roasted knuckles of pork
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History
