The archives of Neustift Abbey are probably the most important religious archives in Tyrol. Here you can browse through nine centuries of history. And nine centuries of stories about the abbey, its parishes, farms and estates.

Commercial and administrative files are stored here as well as documents that date back to the 11th century. They originate from popes (such as Innocence II) and emperors (Friedrich I Barbarossa), as well as from the abbey’s administrators themselves. The numerous rent rolls, placita and account books give a good idea of the way the abbey’s manorial system functioned.

Overview of the inventory of the former abbey archivist Simon Terzer (PDF, in german).

Abbey library

There are just under 100,000 books in the hall and the depots of the Neustift library. They contain the knowledge of the world (and of the time it was written down), which extends far beyond theology. A large proportion of the works are from the 17th and 18th centuries, and were used for the education of the canons. In around 1926 the books from the Brixen Augustinian grammar school were transferred to Neustift. After most of Neustift’s important manuscripts and incunabula from the early days of book printing had been taken away to Innsbruck in 1809, in 1929 almost 100 manuscripts were returned.

Catalogue and digitalized versions

The printed books in the Neustift library can be researched online in the catalogue of the scientific libraries in South Tyrol.

Complete digitalized versions of the medieval manuscripts (including those still in Innsbruck) are available online.