Schottenstift

The Schottenstift — formally the Abbey of Our Lady of the Scots — is a Benedictine monastery on the Freyung square in Vienna's first district and one of Austria's oldest monastic foundations. Duke Henry II Jasomirgott established it in 1155 and populated it with Irish-Scottish monks known as 'Scoti', giving the complex its enduring name. The monastery church layers Romanesque foundations, Gothic modifications, and a sweeping Baroque remodelling completed in the 17th century. The on-site picture gallery holds the Schottenmeister Altarpiece of around 1469 — a pivotal work of late-Gothic panel painting whose background panels contain some of the earliest known visual depictions of Vienna's cityscape. The Stiftsmuseum is open to the public and pairs the altarpiece with a substantial collection of Flemish and Dutch Baroque paintings, making it a quietly rewarding stop for visitors who walk past the better-advertised sights on the Ringstrasse.