Durnstein
- Where is Dürnstein located? In the Wachau in Lower Austria.
- Is the visit worth it? Yes, Dürnstein can be visited at any time of the year. The Wachau is particularly popular with the apricot blossom at the end of March.
- Is it possible to park in Dürnstein? No, the city is largely car-free. Only residents are allowed to drive through
- Where can you park? Sometimes the parking lots can get very crowded. There are 3 parking spaces (2 before and 1 after the tunnel). 2 hours cost 4 €, then the prices are staggered.
- What are the highlights? The blue collegiate church and the ruins of Dürnstein Castle, in which the English King Richard I the Lionheart was imprisoned.
Dürnstein is a place with less than 1,000 inhabitants in the Wachau in Lower Austria. Despite this, it has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in Austria. There is hardly a Wachau visitor who does not stop in Dürnstein. In 1994 Dürnstein was awarded the European Diploma. In 2000, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Wachau.
The Collegiate Church
In the meantime, the blue tower of the collegiate church has become a symbol of the region.
However, many wonder why is it blue?
The blue and the white are theological program implemented in baroque architecture. The brown of the monastery symbolizes earthly striving, the blue tower Jesus’ triumph over death. Provost Hieronymus Übelbacher was therefore only the best good enough when erecting the tower: smalt blue.
Church services and exhibitions take place regularly in Dürnstein Abbey.
Durnstein ruins
Almost even better known are the Dürnstein ruins, which are located above the actual town.
Dürnstein Castle was built by the Kuenringer family in the middle of the 12th century. However, it only became known through its involuntary guest, King Richard the Lionheart, who was imprisoned at Dürnstein Castle from December 21, 1192 to February 4, 1193. In reality, however, it is no longer known whether the king was really held in the castle, in an outbuilding, or in the valley.
Explore the city on foot
All in all, the medieval-looking town invites you to go for a walk. If you park in car parks 1 or 2, you enter the city from the east through the Kremser Tor (formerly Steiner Tor). It is a four-storey, square gate tower from the 15th century. The city wall leads south to the Danube, north to the ruins. The tower now serves as a residence.
Along the main path there are numerous souvenir shops offering specialties from the region, above all wine and apricot liqueurs and schnapps.
You should also take a look at the picturesque inner courtyard of the town hall (to the right of the main path). From 1547 the town hall was set up in a late Gothic house in the city center and rebuilt in 1563 in the Renaissance style. The inner courtyard with the picturesque staircase to the municipal office is a popular photo motif. Also worth seeing is the Kunigundenkirche, the oldest church in Dürnstein.
At the other end of town is the castle, which was built in 1622 on the site of ten winegrowers’ houses. It has a small courtyard and is flanked by two towers on the Danube side. In 1937 Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg sold the castle to the Thiery family. In the 1960s it was converted into a hotel. It is still operated as such today.