The monastery of Vorau has grown, based on continuing education about faith, to a now well-known educational center. Philosophy, theology and jurisprudence are represented by the three main paintings on the ceiling of the library. Here are about 17 500 books, including the Vorauer Volksbibel with pictorial representations. By 1500, very few could read, the visual language was used for the publication. For the gilding, gold used to be washed in the “gold hole” near Vorau. Today it is a destination of guided tours to the underground corridors. In the two-storey library, a double spiral staircase leads up to the manuscript room, reserved for the priests for writing their studies. On the way across the courtyard we come to a stone library, created by artists of the present time. In the splendid baroque church you can count around 1000 angels. The monastery painter Cyriak Hackhofer owes a special feature to the monastery of Vorau. It is the sacristy. On the west side is very dramatically represented the fall of hell. From lightning the sinners with the seven main sins are thrown into hell. Surrounded by flames and devilish figures, it depicts the personified human vices of arrogance, avarice, anger, gluttony, envy, laziness and lust. On the east side the world court is shown. On a rainbow, the 7 colors, sits Christ. From the earth a crowd of saints looks at him with their attributes. Of course, the artist is immortalized on a picture. Thanks to Mr. Manfred Glössl, advance appointment with him at the gate, he leads with a lot of knowledge and passion through the monastery, about 15 000 visitors per year.
