The origins of the Scottish Abbey lead back to the year 1155. Duke Henry II. Jasomirgott summoned Irish monks from St. Jakob in Regensburg to come to Vienna. These monks left Vienna in 1418, but the name, “Schotten” (“Scots”), was retained by the then German-speaking monastery.

The grand Late Gothic “Schottenmeister-Altar” (altar of the masters of the Viennese-Scots), with the oldest topographically correct view of Vienna, is located inside the Museum at the Schottenstift (accessible via the monastery shop).

Our guests are more than welcome to attend the church services and Liturgy of the hours at the Scottish Abbey. There is also an in-house chapel inside the Benediktushaus.

The Romanesque chapel, located in the entrance area of the Benediktushaus, is the oldest conserved part of the Abbey and a space of worship with an especially ruminant charisma. It can be visited Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:30 and Saturdays from 14:30, as part of the guided tour of the Scottish Abbey.

the history of the Scottish Abbey

Vienna’s rich cultural offerings can be discovered right outside our door. Hofburg, Burgtheater and city-hall are all within a few minutes walking distance of the Benediktushaus; the Stephansdom can be reached after a short walk through the inner city of Vienna. Many of the most important Viennese landmarks and places of interest can easily be reached by foot.

In the immediate vicinity of the Benediktushaus there are various company head offices, ministries, educational institutions, as well as the main building of the University of Vienna, which the Scottish Abbey has been closely related to since 1365.