Neustift Abbey is one of the most prestigious monasteries of northern Italy and Alpine region. It was founded in 1142 by the Bishop of Brixen. Buildings have been rebuilt and expanded several times until the 18th century. Neustift Abbey was dissolved by the Bavarian government in 1807. Today it is a convention center and ecological center.
The abbey, since its establishment, has been a place of shelter for pilgrims coming from Northern Europe and headed to Rome and the Holy Land.
Today you can visit the large Baroque church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which is full artworks halls. The historic garden is open to the public. The fortified complex, which is accessed via a small covered bridge, consists of several buildings from different periods and styles.
The important library occupies two floors of the monastery, which houses about 65,000 printed volumes, especially scientific works and manuscripts. The main room of the library, a masterpiece of Rococo style, has been designed by Antonio Giuseppe Sartori in 1773.
The monastery wine cellars are also located here, where the superb wines from the Neustift estate vineyards can be savoured together with a typical South Tyrolean platter of cold cuts and cheese.
The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.