In c. 1146, following the example of St Benedict, the first monks created a place where they could pray and pursue their diligent endeavours in the solitude of the mountains. The heart of the monastery is the crypt carved into the slope, surmounted by its basilica, which was converted to the baroque style in the 17th century. In the crypt, consecrated in 1160, the monks met for Divine Office.

Following alterations in 1643, the crypt was used as a burial place for the monks. In 1980 the crypt fittings were removed, revealing in their full luminosity frescoes that had been covered over for centuries. Today Benedictine monks still inhabit the south and east tracts of the monastery, which are therefore not accessible to the public. Parts of the west tract are undergoing renovation. In these new show rooms the visitors get insights into the daily life in the monastery, the 900-year-old history and the spiritual meaning of the frescoes in the crypt with the well known portrayals of the angels.
 
If you want you can celebrate the evening mass with the monks in the crypt: 01.06. - 27.10.2012 Monday - Saturday at 05.30 pm