Fodor's Expert Review Damenstift

Archduchess Magdelena, sister of Ferdinand II, founded the Damenstift Abbey, home of the silent order of Carmelite nuns, in 1567–69. While the abbey was abolished in 1783, the order survived, and today the remaining (mostly elderly) nuns can be found praying in the Collegiate Church (Herz-Jesu-Basilika) at the top of Eugenstrasse. A tiny plaque on the dramatic church facade—an example of the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque style—confirms its links to the historic Damenstift. Sit quietly at the back of the church and witness the silent and extensive devotions of the nuns amidst the glorious interior of wood, marble, and gold.