The Monastery And The Cavalry Barraks

The spacious yellow building complex, which is situated between the hydroelectric power station and the historic town centre, is in the possession of the city of Vienna since1860. Today it is a nursing home for old and mentally ill patients. In the past the area was covered by a monastery with an adjacent hospital, and farther to the west by a cavalry barracks. The latter was built by the Emperor Karl VI in 1723. Along with its primary purpose the barrack was also used as a sick bay and a ration storeroom for the army.

A Cistercian nunnery was founded by the rich citizen AdelheideGottschalk in the suburb of Piesenegg in 1291. In the days of the Reformation it was abandoned for fear of the warlikeTurks, standing empty from 1572 onwards. During the Counter-Reformation in 1631 the town of Ybbs succeeded in placing the building in the hands of the Order of St. Francis. After the demolition of the old complex, works for its re-erectionstarted in 1632. From that time onwards it flourished untilits dissolution by Joseph II.

In the course of time the town developed to a significant reloading point with regard to the iron trade. In the 19th centurya branch of the mining labour union was installed in the former monastery building controlling the quarrying, processing,and trading of the iron.

Around 1860 the monastery was pulled down being replacedby a bigger building complex. The cavalry barracks was invariably included into the final concept.