Wettingen-Mehrerau is a Cistercian abbey founded in 1097, making it one of the oldest monasteries in Vorarlberg. It sits on the western edge of Bregenz, separated from the lake by a narrow strip of land. The complex includes a Romanesque church, medieval cloisters, and the functional buildings of a working monastic community.
The church is open to visitors and the Gregorian chant at the daily offices is worth hearing. The cloisters contain carved capitals of genuine artistic interest. The abbey's Cistercian simplicity — white walls, minimal ornament — makes it a calm counterpoint to the baroque exuberance of other Austrian monasteries. The monks produce a small range of goods sold at the abbey shop. The walk along the lake to the abbey from the Festspielhaus takes about twenty minutes and is pleasant on its own merits.