Page 182 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Vienna

180  VIENNA AREA B Y AREA FUR THER AFIELD  181

7 River Trip from Krems to Melk Wine-producing towns from their Austrian domain. The Spitz to Aggsbachdorf
Rossatz to Wösendorf Renaissance castle and Gothic Spitz w is another pretty wine
Some 80 km (50 miles) west of Vienna is one of the most On the bank opposite Dürnstein church were redeveloped in town and was a Protestant
magnificent stretches of river scenery in Europe. Castles, lies Rossatz 5, a former busy the Baroque style around 1700. stronghold during the
churches and wine-producing villages rise up on either port that has been making wine At Weissenkirchen 6 the Reformat ion. It lies at the
side of the Danube valley and breathtaking views unfold. for centuries. Neolithic and church dates mainly from the 15th foot of the 1,000-Eimer Berg
Roman remains found here
and 16th centuries. The town
(1,000-Bucket Mountain), so
Redolent with history (it has been settled for over 30,000 testify to early settlement. In the is known for its wine, as are called because it is claimed
years), this stretch from Krems to Melk is called the Wachau. 10th century the town belonged Joching 7 and Wösendorf 8. that in a good year the vine-
A river trip is the best way to take in the landmarks and to a Bavarian convent, but clad hills can produce enough
scenery, either with one of the organized tours, or passed to the Babenbergs wine to fill 1,000 buckets. p The Benedictine abbey of Melk
independently (see box). and became Further on is a wall-like dominates the river and town
part of rocky precipice jutting
out from the bank, the (43-mile) River Pielach o,
from a 1st-century Roman Teufelsmauer or Devil’s 30 Bronze Age tombs and the
fortification, and now boasts the Wall e, which has foundations of a Roman tower
gourmet restaurant Landhaus R i v e r D a n u b e given rise to a have been excavated.
Bacher in Südtirolerplatz. number of legends. The high point of the trip
Board a river boat in Krems. At Schwallenbach r is the Benedictine abbey of
After about 8 km (5 miles) the church was rebuilt Melk p. The pretty town has
you pass the medieval town after the Bohemians Renaissance houses, little
of Dürnstein 4, with a devastated the village streets, old towers and the
Baroque church overlooked in 1463. Although you remnants of a city wall built
by the ruins of a castle. cannot see it from the in the Middle Ages. The
From 1192 to 1193, after boat, you will pass very Baroque abbey, where
his return from the Third close to the village of Umberto Eco’s novel The
Crusade, England’s King Willendorf t, Name of the Rose begins and
Richard the Lionheart was famous for the ends, is a treasure trove of
held prisoner in the castle prehistoric findings paintings, sculptures and
by Duke Leopold V of made nearby, decorative art. The great library
4 The perfectly preserved medieval town Babenberg (see p24). including the statue contains 2,000 volumes from
of Dürnstein He was released only Venus of Willendorf the 9th to the 15th centuries
on payment of a huge (see pp22 and 130). alone. The church has a
Krems to Dürnstein ransom. Dürnstein has Aggstein y has magnificent organ and an
The beautiful Renaissance town conserved much of its a ruined castle high odd display of skeletons
of Stein has in modern times medieval and Baroque above the river. Jörg dressed in luxurious materials
merged into one with Krems, character and has Scheck von Wald, inside glass coffins.
which has a medieval centre 1. splendid river views. follower of Duke
At the end of Steinerstrasse is Side streets lead to Albrecht I, rebuilt and Tips for Independent
the house of the Baroque artist charming river walks. enlarged the original
Kremser Schmidt. Climb one of A separate visit is castle in 1429. Legend Travellers
the narrow hillside streets and advisable if you has it that he referred Starting points: Krems,
look across the Danube for a want to see the to a rock, placed at Dürnstein, Melk or any river trip
fine view of Göttweig Abbey 2, town at leisure. y The ruined castle above the river at the highest point of boarding point. River trip tickets
an excellent example of Aggstein the castle, as his rose garden. are on sale at these points.
Austrian Baroque, and in the He would force his imprisoned ∑ ddsg-blue-danube.at
17th century a centre of the Churches and ruins enemies to leap to their deaths Getting there: Take the train
Counter-Reformation. You can Clearly visible on top of a hill, the if the ransom he demanded from Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof to
also see the small town of fortified Church of St Michael 9 failed to arrive. Aggsbachdorf Krems or Dürnstein. For Melk,
Mautern 3, which developed was built between 1500 and 1523. u was settled by the Romans in depart from Westbahnhof.
An unusual architectural detail is the 2nd century and owned by Stopping-off points: Dürnstein
the stone hares on its tower. Local the Kuenringer robber-barons has restaurants and shops.
folklore tells how so much snow during the Middle Ages. Melk Abbey Tel 02752 5550.
fell here once that hares were able Open Palm Sunday–1st Sun after
0 km 5 to leap onto the roof. All Souls: 9am–4:30pm (May–Sep:
0 miles 3 On the same side of the river Schönbühel Castle to Melk 9am–5:30pm). 8 in English:
is a ruined arch on a hill, Das The picturesque castle of May–Oct 10:55am & 2:55pm.
Rote Tor 0, a fragment of a Schönbühel i stands on a Cycling: A cycle path runs along
Key 14th- century gate through rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube. Hire bikes at Krems,
Melk, Spitz or Dürnstein train
which Swedish soldiers walked the Danube. Although early
Railway line stations (reduction with train
on their way to Spitz in 1645 records date it to the 9th
River ticket), or from river trip boarding
during the Thirty Years’ War (see century, its present form is early
Major road p27). The town of Mitterarnsdorf 19th-century. Further on, at points. Take your passport for
identification. ∑ stiftmelk.at
7 The church at Weissenkirchen, which was fortified to hold off the Turks Minor road q has Roman remains. the mouth of the 70-km long
For keys to symbols see back flap
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