Saturday - Melk Monastery

Empress Maria Theresa and Franz Joseph stayed at the Monastery when they were traveling between Prague and Vienna, so two whole wings were set aside for them and their crew. One of the amazing things was the Marble Hall used as a dining room where only the royals dined.

This ceiling is all done in Tromp l'oel. From the center of the room all the columns appear straight, but from one end of the room or the other, they are slanted. The wall is only slightly curved and there are no real columns, it is all the painting and perspective

From the center

From the side of the room

This is the grill over which the table was placed. There was a wood fire below that kept the diners warm