The Swirling Spiral Staircase in Melk Abbey

Overlooking the Danube, the huge Benedictine abbey in Melk, Austria is about an hour west of Vienna. Its grand Baroque library and cathedral impress the even the most seasoned of travelers and its medieval manuscript collection attracts scholars worldwide. One of my favorite parts was this swirly pink and gold spiral staircase which I found absolutely mesmerizing. The tour guide was getting impatient as I lingered and snapped these few photos; I would have loved to spend an hour here climbing the stairs, experiencing the changing views with each step, taking photos and pondering how the designers and artists created this splendid spiral.