mount angel abbey

An unexpected pleasure to be sure. We were looking to check out the area and did a "whats near me" search on tripadvior. Luckily we were there around noon and got to enjoy the short mass. The museum is eclectic but truly fascinating, especially considering its location.

Go there and take a walk, leave the world behind you as you drive up the hill, visit the library and the mosiac stations of the cross. You will leave refreshed.

If you are looking for a beautiful view, peaceful surroundings, an interesting museum, and history this is a great place to visit. Very nice gift shop, the church is lovely. Enjoyed the cemetery very much. So nice to be distanced from the busy city life.

I am an Oregon native who's lived in the Northeast for a very long time. My parents moved to a cute town in the foothills of Cascades recently, so on my visits home I am exploring a whole new part of my home state. This Christmas, I discovered the Mount Angel Abbey.A newspaper article alerted me to the fact that there were medieval manuscripts in Mt. Angel. As a home-schooling mom with a passion for medieval history, this was not something I could miss. We attended a public event where a recently acquired "book of hours" (prayer book) and the Abbey's other medieval manuscripts were on display.With a 10-year-old child in tow, I didn't get to hear every minute of the speeches, but I was impressed to find the rare book dealer who procured the rare book of hours for the abbey willing to spend a few minutes telling my son about the recent addition to the library. My son and I really enjoyed walking around the library itself. I had no idea such a repository was nestled in the hills of rural Oregon.The library building itself is rather modern and European, but the Abbey in its entirety is quite a beautiful place, on the model of traditional European religious houses, but utterly Oregonian in its gorgeous setting. As a visitor--not Catholic, a mom with a boy in tow--I felt very welcome to explore the grounds. I look forward to visiting again, and might even look into purchasing a borrowing membership to the library, which I learned is an option!

I confess I went to the Abbey to see the World's Largest Pig Hairball. And the little museum is, indeed, funky and with unexpected treasures, such as the taxidermy animals in vignettes, pig hairballs, and calves with extra legs.But it turns out the highlight was not the Holy Hairball. The grounds are beautiful. There's a large mimosa tree and the air smells like flowers. It was loaded with hummingbirds. It overlooks the valley and the mountains. There was a Bach festival the day I was there, and there was cello music drifting out across the grounds. In short, it was everything you imagine when you think of the word "abbey". Private. Quiet. Beautiful. Contemplative. Sacred.I feel very fortunate my peculiar sense of humor took me there, because it turned out to be quite special in a way I had not anticipated...

The Benedictine Abbey at Mount Angel, Oregon is about an hour south of Portland and 30 minutes east of Salem. It was established in 1882 and affords a spectacular view of the Willamette Valley and Mt Hood (on a clear day). The museum has an excellent collection of stuffed animals (the bison is HUGE) and the library is three stories with 250,000 volumes! Don't miss a daily mass with the monks chanting - the noon service is perhaps the most convenient. Strolling the grounds beneath the 200 foot tall sequoias is very peaceful, and the walk along the stations of the cross along the entry drive is invigorating. Nice little gift shop, and a coffee shop open during the week (not on the weekend). They also host retreats and meetings for groups of all denominations, with very reasonable rates (including overnight accommodation and meals). Website is http://www.mountangelabbey.org/

Perched on top of a hill just outside of Mt Angel Oregon is a place of unbelievable peace. Whether you come to enjoy a picnic in the shade of huge ancient trees. Look out over the farmland of the Willamette Valley, or whether you are seeking the peace to be found in prayer inside the wonderful brick church, here you will find it. A Benedictine Monastery founded in the 1880's, Mt Angel still educates seminarians from all over the world. The black robed Monks welcome all visitors with warmth and joy. The library, one of the largest in the United States is a must see as is the wonderful exhibits in the museum under the wing of the Monastery. The mosaics, seen throughout the buildings are incredible! Services are held throughout the day and all are welcome.For me, this was an incredible experience. Whether you are by yourself or with friends and/or family, have only an hour, or the entire day this is a must see stop.

Be sure to visit their museum on one of the lower floors. Lots of interesting things and wonderful collection of stuffed animals. They have a big collection of rare books and it was interesting see how they are being preserved. Lovely views of the countryside. A nice peaceful place to visit with no crowds.

This site is a working Roman Catholic monastery and seminary that permits respectful visitors to tour the premises during regular hours. It sits high on a hill near the city of Mt. Angel, Oregon overlooking the surrounding small communities and farmland. The grounds are open to the public and include an interesting natural history museum, church, library, gift shop and reception area. All areas are handicapped accessible. Retreats are held here periodically. Inquire within. If you happen to come around noon, the church will ring the bells calling everyone to prayer. This is not a full mass, but singing and chanting for about 20 minutes. It's OK to talk to the seminarians and monks. They will be happy to answer any questions. It has a very peaceful setting. Be sure to take a look at the unique stations of the cross on the road up to or down from the abbey. They are steeped in Swiss tradition like the founder and are in German.