Melk, town (1991 pop. 3,601), Lower Austria province, N central Austria, on the Danube River. A noted tourist spot, it was one of the earliest residences of the Austrian rulers. The large Benedictine abbey there, founded in 1089, has a library whose holdings include about 2,000 old manuscripts and 80,000 volumes. The abbey was completely rebuilt by the architect J. Prandtauer in the 18th cent. and is a splendid example of the baroque style. The area is well-known for its wines.