Stift Dürnstein is the former Augustinian monastery in the centre of the village, instantly recognisable by its pale blue and white Baroque tower above the Danube. The monastery was founded in the 15th century and rebuilt in its present form in the early 18th century, before being closed under Emperor Joseph II in 1788.
Visitors can usually enter the courtyard, church, and main terrace; guided visits add the crypt and cloister. The building is at its best from the river or from the castle path above town, where the tower sits against the vineyards and water below.