DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. The fine buildings of the Benedictine monastery of Melk majestically rise up from a plateau above the fascinating town on the River Danube. The elegant, yellow buildings of the monastery have become well-known far beyond Austria. The monastery's eighteen hundred manuscripts are extremely valuable and although many treasures were destroyed by a devastating fire the oldest texts date back to the early 9th century. The 18th century marked the beginning of extensive construction work in the monastery that subsequently transformed the church into an enchanting example of Baroque design. The exquisite design of the church's splendid interior was mostly the work of Italian architect, Antonio Beduzzi. But it is the remarkable architecture of the central Baroque buildings that have given Melk its reputation as being an icon of occidental monastery culture.