The Alter Brotladen (Old Bread Shop), at Hauptstraße13 (or Rathausplatz 2/14), is a former
residence and salt warehouse. It is about 400 years old and is still covered
with the original shingle roof.
MT 12:16 PM - Melk: Rathausplatz - MT near Alter Brotladen; the small sign behind her says: "Ehem. Brotladen 16. Jhdt" (Former Bread Shop 16th Century).
MT 12:17 PM - Melk: Rathausplatz - sign by turreted corner of Alter Brotladen that reads "Alles ist möglich!" (Everything is possible!).
12:29 PM - Melk: view of Melk Abbey from below.
MT 12:27 PM - Melk: view of Melk Abbey from below (mild telephoto 46 mm).
12:30 PM - Melk: view of Melk Abbey from "Photopoint" below (mild telephoto 63 mm).
12:30 PM - Melk: view of Melk Abbey and Danube from "Photopoint" below.
MT 12:28 PM - Melk: Don posing with black (angel?) wings at "Photopoint" below Melk Abbey.
12:31 PM - Melk: sign, in German and English, for "Photopoint."
MT 12:28 PM - Melk: MT posing giant sunglasses at "Photopoint."
12:35 PM - Melk: wooded path Joey said to take straight ahead after the green bridge rather than arrow on Viking map pointing to "Cruise Ships."
At 12:48, we were back on the Viking Bragi, in time for lunch.
The ship was scheduled to depart Melk at around 1:30 for our next port stop at Krems.
At 2:00, Program Director Joey began his "Bridge Commentary: Wachau Valley" from the ship's bridge as we watched from the Sun Deck, as we sailed through the valley.
The Viking Cruise Documents described the afternoon “Scenic Cruise: Wachau Valley” as follows:
“Sail through a serene tapestry of terraced
vineyards, forested slopes, charming towns and castle ruins in Austria’s Wachau
Valley, celebrated as perhaps the most scenic stretch of the Danube. You’ll
cruise 18 miles through this vast UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the river
courses through emerald-green hills. During your leisurely journey through this
splendid region, you will see prolific grapevines and quaint wine-producing
villages hugging the shores, the legacy of vintners that stretch as far back as
Celtic and Roman times, and an echo of the more than 30 monasteries that served
as vineyards in Renaissance days.”
The Viking Daily newsletter describes “Wachau: Austria’s stunning canvas” as follows:
“The stretch of the Danube between Krems and Melk,
known locally as ‘the Wachau,’ is possibly the loveliest along the entire
length of this majestic river. Both banks are dotted with ruined castles and
medieval towns and are lined with terraced vineyards. Listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 2000, the Wachau is described as ‘an outstanding example of a
riverine landscape.’ Noted for its cultural importance as well as its physical
beauty, UNESCO says, ‘The architecture, the human settlements, and the
agricultural use of the land in the Wachau vividly illustrate a basically
medieval landscape which has evolved organically and harmoniously over time.’
“Have your camera at the ready as you sail through
this enchanting region, where history, culture and sheer beauty combine to
create a picture like no other.”
The Wachau Valley (Tau Wachau in German) on the Danube between the towns of Melk and Krems
is 36 km (22 mi) long. It was already settled in prehistoric times. Paleolithic
records up to 32,000 years old testify to human occupation of the valley. It is
inferred that Krems and Melk were settled establishments in the early Neolithic
period between 4500 and 1800 BC. In 15 BC, the Celtic kingdom of Noricum became
part of the Roman Empire; since the Empire’s boundaries were along the Danube
and thus in the Wachau, fortifications were built along the southern banks. During
the medieval period from the 9th century, the establishment of the Bavarian and
Salzburg monasteries changed the landscape, creating vineyard terraces to make
and market wine. The name “wachu” was recorded as “locus Wahowa” in 853 AD, and
the name of “Krems” was recorded as “Orbs Chremisa” in 995 AD. The Babenburg Margraves
ruled the Wachau from 976 AD. The epic German poem “Nibelungenlied,” written
around 1200 AD, was set in the Wachau.
2:02 PM - Wachau: approaching Schloss Schönbühel castle high on hill; Joey said they captured people and gave them three options: pay ransom, starve to death, or jump off the rocks to their death.
Schloss Schönbühel (Schönbühel Castle) lies on the right bank of the Danube about 5 km (3.1
mi) below Melk. The castle is built on rock approximately 40 m (130 ft) above
the level of the river. A Roman fortress may have stood there earlier. The
castle was begun in the early 12th century by Marchwardus de Schoenbuchele as a
defensive fortress. After his family died out in the early 14th century, it was
owned by the Melk Abbey. In 1396, it was sold to the Starhemberg family and
remained in their possession for more than 400 years but fell into disrepair
until it was renovated and partially rebuilt in 1821.
2:02 PM - Wachau: Schloss Schönbühel (telephoto 105 mm).
2:03 PM - Wachau: Schloss Schönbühel (telephoto 105 mm).
2:03 PM - Wachau: Schloss Schönbühel after we passed it (mild telephoto 44 mm).
2:04 PM - Wachau: approaching Servitenkloster Schönbühel (mild telephoto 44 mm).
The former Servitenkloster
Schönbühel (Schönbühel Monastery) is located on a rock 500 m
downstream from Schloss Schönbühel (still in the municipality of Schönbühel) on
the right bank of the Danube. From 1411, the area was owned by the Lords of
Starhemberg. Like many regions of today’s Austria, it was a center of
Protestantism in the 16th century. Conrad Balthasar Starhemberg converted to
Catholicism in 1639 and established foundations for the benefit of the Servite
Order. Finally, he called the Servite monks to Schönbühel to build a monastery on
a rock with ruins of what was popularly known as the Teufelsgschloß (Devil’s
Castle), which was probably the remains of a wall from a medieval observation
point on the Danube. It was said that spirits were up to mischief in those
ruins, and Count Starhemberg thought a monastery would end the haunting.
Construction began with construction of a chapel in 1667. The monastery was
founded in 1672 and became part of the small pilgrimage sites of the Baroque Austria
sacra. The pilgrimage church of the monastery has also been a parish church
since 1786, as the castle church increasingly fell into disrepair. Renovation
of the buildings began in 1967, but the lack of priests in the Servite Order
caused the monks to leave the monastery in 1980. However, it still serves as a
parish church today, run by Benedictines of the Göttweig Abbey.
2:04 PM - Wachau: Servitenkloster Schönbühel (telephoto 119 mm).
2:09 PM - Wachau: view from Sun Deck of Danube downstream.
2:14 PM - Wachau: another castle high on distant hilltop above a small village of Aggsbach-Dorf (telephoto 119 mm).
Aggsbach-Dorf (Aggsbach Village) lies downstream from Melk on the right bank of the
Danube. The village is part of the municipality of Schönbühel-Aggsbach in the district of
Melk.
2:15 PM - Wachau: loading ramp with sign for "Aggsbach-Dorf" (telephoto 119 mm).
2:15 PM - Wachau: view from Sun Deck downstream from Aggsbach-Dorf, with castle on distant hilltop.
2:20 PM - Wachau: Aggstein Castle Ruins on distant hilltop (telephoto 218 mm).
The Burgruine Aggstein (Aggstein Castle Ruins) is a ruined castle on the right bank of the
Danube in the municipality of Schönbühel-Aggsbach. It is on an outcropping of
rock, called the “Stein” (rock), rising about 300 m (980 ft) above the Danube
and 480 m (1,579 ft) above sea level.
The castle was probably built at the beginning of
the 12th century. In 1181, it came into the possession of the Kuenring family
of Aggsbach-Gansbach. It was besieged and conquered in 1230/31 and again in
1295/96 during an uprising against the Austrian nobility, in which the Kuenrings
switched sides a few times. The last Kuemring held the castle from 1348 to
1355. After that, it fell into disrepair until the Duke of Austria assigned it
to his chamberlain, Jörg Scheck von Wald, who had it razed and rebuilt in 1429.
Scheck von Wald received the right to tolls on ships on the Danube in 1438 and
became a robber baron, raiding ships on the river. In 1463, the castle was
besieged by another robber baron, who defeated Scheck von Wald and took the castle,
which he ruled until 1477. In 1477, the Duke of Austria again acquired the
castle and occupied it with tenants and caretakers in order to stop the raids.
In 1529, it was razed by a group of Ottoman Turks during the Siege of Vienna.
Again, it was rebuilt as a fort and equipped with embrasures for artillery
pieces. In 1685, it was transferred to the Starhemberg family, along with Schloss
Schönbühel. Then it came into the possession of the Beroldingen family from
1819 to 1930; they carried out the first measures to preserve the ruins. In 2003-04,
the federal state of Lower Austria funded the Aggstein Castle Restoration
project.
Today, the Aggstein runs receive about 55,000
visitors annually, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in
Lower Austria.
2:24 PM - Wachau: Aggstein Castle on rocky outcropping on hilltop (telephoto 381 mm).
2:25 PM - Wachau: Aggstein Castle on rocky outcropping on hilltop (telephoto 343 mm).
2:32 PM - Wachau: village of Schwallenbach on the left bank.
Schwallenbach (pop. 141) is a village on the left bank of the Danube, about 3 km
upstream from the town of Spitz. It is in the municipality of Spitz in the district
of Krems, about 73 km (46 mi) west of Vienna. It was first mentioned in a
document as early as 830 AD. In 1443, it was called a fortified market. In
1463, the Bohemians devastated the village, and. In 1504, the area passed into
the possession of the Habsburgs. During
the Thirty Years’ War (1618-48), there was great
destruction in 1620, and the place was finally destroyed by the Swedes in 1645.
2:32 PM - Wachau: village of Schwallenbach with Church of St. Sigismund (mild telephoto 63 mm).
The Church of St. Sigismund (Kirche hl. Sigismund) in Schwallenbach goes back to a chapel from 1420,
which was dedicated to St. Sigismund. Buttresses and vaulted ribs indicate the
late Gothic style. In 1463, the chapel was adapted to a single-nave church. In 1620,
during the Thirty Years’ War, the church tower was burned down and replaced by
a stone steeple.
2:33 PM - Wachau: village of Schwallenbach on the left bank (mild telephoto 44 mm).
2:33 PM - Wachau: Schwallenbach - Church of St. Sigismund and Schwallenbach Castle (mild telephoto 72 mm).
Directly across from the church is Schwallenbach Castle (Schloss
Schwellenbach), also known as the Little Bell of Schwallenbach (Glöcklein [or Glöclkerl]
von Schwallenbach). It is a medieval castle that was originally the seat of the
Schwallenbach family, first mentioned here in 1243. After being destroyed
several times, the seat now appears as an irregular two-story, four-wing
building, and its appearance goes back to a renovation in 1617. The still
preserved square, five-story medieval defensive tower is integrated into the
south wing. It has stone-clad windows from the 16th century and is crowned by
renovated dovetail battlements. Until 1960, the popular inn “Das Glöclkerl von
Schwallenbach” was located in the castle.
2:38 PM - Wachau: view from Sun Deck toward town of Spitz downstream on left bank, with Hinterhaus castle ruins barely visible on hill in center.
2:38 PM - Wachau: Hinterhaus Castle Ruins near town of Spitz on left bank (telephoto 105 mm).
The Hinterhaus Castle
Ruins (Burgruine Hinterhaus) originate from the 12th
century, dating back to the time of the Kuenringer family’ rule, when it served
as a strategic stronghold. From here, they were able to rule the entire Wachau
Valley. The castle was expanded in the 15th century. From the 16th century, the
elongated castle complex was left to decay. The ruins of the huge castle are
perched atop a hill overlooking the town of Spitz and the Danube. It is sometimes
referred to as Spitz Castle.
2:39 PM - Wachau: Hinterhaus castle ruins near town of Spitz on left bank (telephoto 156 mm).
2:39 PM - Wachau: town of Spitz on left bank (mild telephoto 63 mm).
Spitz an der Donau (Spitz on the Danube) is a town (pop. 1,620) in the district of Krems on
the left bank of the Danube. Occupied since Celtic times, it was first mentioned
in 830 AD. The town is named for the Knights of Spitz, who maintained the castle
overlooking the town. (To the south of Spitz is the famous fortress of Hinterhaus.)
The hill above the town is called “Tausendeimerberg” (Hill of a Thousand
Buckets) because of the many grapes that grow there. Together with the
neighboring villages of Gut am Steg, Schwallenbach, and Vießling, Spitz is a
major wine-producing center of the region. The town has many Renaissance and
Baroque houses.
2:42 PM - Wachau: town of Spitz on left bank, as another cruise ship passed in the other direction.
2:43 PM - Wachau: town of Spitz, with Church of St. Mauritius and loading ramp (mild telephoto 63 mm).
The Church of St. Mauritius
[or Maurice] (Kirche St. Moritz [or Mautitius]) is
the Roman Catholic parish church of the market town of Spitz. It is a late-Gothic
hall church with a western tower and a long choir (apse), which is strongly
bent out of the axis. It is famous for its Apostles (1380) and altarpiece.
2:41 PM - Wachau: loading ramp with sign for "Spitz" (telephoto 156 mm).
2:43 PM - Wachau: Spitz - Church in Mitterarnsdorf (telephoto 119 mm).
Mitterarnsdorf (pop. 164) is a village on the right bank of the Danube that is now part
of the municipality of Rossatz-Arnsdorf.
Rossatz-Arnsdorf is a municipality in the district of Krems. Evidence of a 7th-century
Slavic settlement has been found on the steep slope of the Wachau Valley here.
The first documentary mention of “Rosseza” was around 985 AD. From the 11th
century, the place was owned by the Babenberg family. Almost 9 km up the
Danube, the small villages of Bach-, Ober-, and Mitter-Arnsdorf belonged to the
Prince-Bishop of Salzburg from its foundation in 860. In 1971/72, the villages
of Mitter- and Oberarnsdorf were incorporated into Rossatz. The municipality
has an excellent view of the ruins of Dürnstein Castle.
2:44 PM - Wachau: Spitz - Church in Mitterarnsdorf (telephoto 187 mm).
2:44 PM - Wachau: Spitz - Church in Mitterarnsdorf as we passed it (telephoto 93 mm).
2:47 PM - Wachau: approaching Fortified Church of St. Michael on left bank (telephoto 81 mm).
2:47 PM - Wachau: approaching Fortified Church of St. Michael, with Karner (ossuary) to its right (telephoto 81 mm).
MT 2:43 PM - Wachau: approaching Fortified Church of St. Michael (telephoto 76 mm).
2:47 PM - Wachau: south side of Fortified Church of St. Michael, with Karner (ossuary) to its right (telephoto 81 mm).
St. Michael is a dreamy village with only 13 houses
and barely a dozen residents. However, it was of great historical importance.
From 987, St. Michel was the only parish far and wide. For a long time, the
people of the Wachau and the southern Waldviertel received pastoral care from
here.
The Fortified Church
of St. Michael (Wehrkirche St. Michael) is an east-facing Roman
Catholic church with a west tower in the parish of St. Michael in the market
town of Weißenkirchen. It is a branch church of the parish of Wösendorf in the Dekanat
(dean’s office) of Spitz an is considered the oldest parish in the Wachau.
Around 800 AD, Charlemagne erected a St. Michael
shrine on a former Celtic sacrificial site. The first documentary mention was
in 987. In 1162, the parish of St. Michael was transferred to the St. Florian
Monastery (near Linz). In 1500-20, a Romanesque stone church was replaced by a
late-Gothic church. In 1500-30, the defensive system with five towers, drawbridge,
and church was built (this was reinforced several times until the 17th century).
On 1532, Spanish auxiliaries set fire to the Gothic church tower. In 1544, the
west tower (originally Gothic) was given a Renaissance style after the fire. In
1630, a fire caused the collapse of the nave vault. In 1631-43, an
early-Baroque church vault was built, encasing the Gothic buttresses. In 1784,
the parish was dissolved by Emperor Joseph II, and since then the church has
been a branch church of the parish of Wösendorf. In 1948, renovation work began
on the fortified church, which was in danger of collapsing. In 1969, Bishop of
Pölten (in Lower Austria) reopened the church.
The church stands on a partially artificial terrace
on Donauuferstraße (Danube Bank Street). The late-Gothic staggered hall church
with a choir (apse) has a Baroque interior and a striking western defensive
tower from the first quarter of the 16th century, which was restored in
1964/65. The church has a four-bay nave and a three-bay choir (apse). Both the
nave and the choir are covered by a gable roof with dormers. The façade is
structured by gabled buttresses.
The church and the neighboring Karner (ossuary) from
1395 are surrounded by a cemetery and the well-preserved fortifications from
the 15th century. The defensive system consists of surrounding wall originally
about 7 m high. This wall was erected in 1575 and reinforced in 1606 and 1677.
A three-story round tower is integrated into the southeast corner of the
complex, which was previously connected to the Karner by an arched walkway bridge.
The four-story, square west tower is set halfway
into the nave and is labeled “1509.” On the west side is a pointed-arch portal.
The second floor was created in 1544, after the fire of 1532. The tower is
crowned by arched battlements and round cantilevered corner turrets over a serrated
frieze. These is a sundial on the south side of the tower.
Between the choir (apse) of the church and the round
tower at the southeast corner of the fortification is the Gothic Karner (ossuary or charnel house)
built in 1395. This is a tall, narrow building with a smooth gable wall on the
west end, which is topped by a pyramidal spire.
2:48 PM - Wachau: round tower on east side of Fortified Church of St. Michael complex, with part of village of St. Michael to its right (telephoto 81 mm).
2:48 PM - Wachau: Fortified Church of St. Michael with round tower on east side (telephoto 63 mm).
MT 2:44 PM - Wachau: looking back at Fortified Church of St. Michael with Karner visible between church and round tower on east side (telephoto 76 mm).
MT 2:44 PM -
Wachau: St. Lorenz on right bank of Danube (mild telephoto 60 mm).
St. Lorenz (pop. 24) is a village located on the right bank of the Danube downstream
from St. Michael and across the river from Weißenkirchen. The church there is Heiliger Lorenz (St. Lorenz) Church.
2:55 PM - Wachau: village of Weißenkirchen (telephoto 156 mm).
2:57 PM - Wachau: Weißenkirchen, with vineyards on hill (telephoto 93 mm).
2:57 PM - Wachau: Parish Church of Weißenkirchen (telephoto 187 mm).
Weißenkirchen in
der Wachau (pop. 1,429), on the left (north) bank of the
Danube, is a town in the district of Krems. The quaint, romantic village,
nestled beside the Danube in rolling, green hills covered in terraced
vineyards, has preserved its authenticity. The town is named after its white
church. Together with the villages of Joching, Wösendorf, and St. Michael, it
forms the largest wine-growing community in the Wachau.
The Parish Church of Weißenkirchen (Pfarrkirche Weißenkirchen) is a majestic Gothic church that provided
both protection and a place of worship for the villagers in medieval times. The
fortifications of the 14th-century Gothic church protected the region from
invaders in the 16th century.
MT 2:56 PM -
Wachau: looking back at Parish Church of Weißenkirchen (mild telephoto 59 mm).
3:00 PM - Wachau: Parish Church of Weißenkirchen, with sign for "Weißenkirchen" at loading ramp (telephoto 105 mm).
3:13 PM - Wachau: town of Dürnstein with ruins of Dürnstein Castle on hill above it (mild telephoto 49 mm).
Dürnstein is a small town on the left bank of the Danube in the district of Krems.
It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau Valley and
also a well-known wine-growing area. The town got its name from the medieval Dürnstein
Castle, which overlooks it. The castle’s name is derived from the German dürr
(meaning “dry”) and Stein (“stone”). The castle was “dry” because it was
on a rocky hill, high above the damp 0conditions of the Danube at the base of
the hill, and it was built of stone. The modern town stands between the castle
and the river. The castle is connected to the town of Dürnstein by a defensive
wall extending from the city walls.
Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192, when King
Richard I (Lionheart) was held captive in the castle by the Duke Leopold of
Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. A shipwreck on Richard’s
return from the crusade caused his party to take a dangerous land route through
central Europe. On the way, Richard was captured near Vienna shortly before
Christmas in 1192 and kept prisoner at Dürnstein Castle. Since detention of a crusader
was contrary to public law, Pope Celestine III excommunicated Duke Leopold. In
March 1193, Richard was transferred to Speyer (in Germany) and handed over to
Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, who continued to hold Richard until a huge ransom
was paid in 1194.
The castle was erected in the early 12th century by
the Kuenring family, as a fortress at this strategic location overlooking the
Danube. Hussite forces plundered the city and the castle in 1428 and 1532. In
1645, near the end of the Thirty Years’ War, a Swedish contingent conquered Dürnstein
and destroyed parts of the gate system during their withdrawal. As of 1662, the
castle was no longer inhabited. In 1763, Conrad Balthasar Starhemberg bought
the castle, which is still owned by his heirs to this date. From 1679 on, however,
the castle was no longer habitable and was abandoned. Thus, it is known as
Burgruine Dürnstein (Dürnstein Castle Ruins).
3:14 PM - Wachau: ruins of Dürnstein Castle on hill with wall connecting it to town of Dürnstein below (mild telephoto 56 mm).
MT 3:10 PM - Wachau: approaching town of Dürnstein with Dürnstein Abbey at right.
3:14 PM - Wachau: Schloss Dürnstein at left and Dürnstein Abbey at right (mild telephoto 56 mm).
Schloss Dürnstein (Dürnstein Castle) is a 17th-century castle, built in the Renaissance
style. The “New Castle” was built from 1622-30 by the barons of Zelking, probably
designed by the same architect as the parish church of Krems. By marriage, it
fell to the ancient noble family of the counts of Zinzendorf and Pottendorf in
1634, and they sold it in 1663 to the counts of Starhemberg, who owed it for
centuries but did not use it as a residence, only visiting it occasionally. In
1683, Emperor Leopold I lived in the castle until Vienna was liberated from the
Turks. In 1937, the Starhembergs sold it to the Thiery family, who converted it
into a hotel and still own it.
Stift Dürnstein (Dürnstein Abbey) has a history dating back to 1372 with the
consecration of a Mary Chapel of St. Mary, paid for by the Kuenring family, on this
site. In 1410, the abbey was established by Canons Regular from Trebon in
Bohemia. 300 years later, in 1710, the building was in such bad condition that the
prior decided to have it rebuilt in Baroque style. Choosing a color palette of “imperial
yellow” (the favorite color of the Austrian royal family) for the abbey and a
unique blue for its church tower, he wanted to make it stand out against larger
monasteries like the Benedictine Monastery upriver at Melk. The abbey was dissolved
by order of Emperor Joseph II n 1788 and fell to the Augustinian Canons of the Herzogenburg
Priory, to which it still belongs today. The large property belonging to the
abbey fell to the Starhemberg family, who still manage the property, and the
vineyards were sold to the Dürnstein winegrowers’ cooperative in 1938. The abbey
is famous for the blue and white tower of its collegiate church, Kirche Maria Himmelfahrt
(Church of the Assumption of Mary), which is a landmark clearly visible from
the Danube River. The tower, which has been restored to its original color, is
covered with reliefs of the Passion of Christ. On the drown of the tower is a
cross under which stand figures of the Four Evangelists. Four obelisks on the
tower bear images of the apostles.
The collegiate church has also been a parish church
since 1745.
3:13 PM - Wachau: Schloss Dürnstein at left and Dürnstein Abbey at right (telephoto 119 mm).
3:14 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein Abbey - collegiate church (telephoto 119 mm).
3:14 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein - dock with sign for "Dürnstein" and local cruise boat "Austria"(telephoto 187 mm).
3:14 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein Abbey - collegiate church with local cruise boat "Austria" in foreground (telephoto 93 mm).
3:15 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein Abbey - wider view of abbey with collegiate church and local cruise boat "Austria" in foreground (mild telephoto 44 mm).
3:15 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein Abbey - wider view of abbey with collegiate church and local cruise boat "Austria" in foreground and ruins of Dürnstein Castle on hill in background (mild telephoto 30 mm).
3:15 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein Abbey - with collegiate church in foreground and ruins of Dürnstein Castle on hill in background (mild telephoto 63 mm).
MT 3:11 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein Abbey - collegiate church with ruins of Dürnstein Castle on hill in background (telephoto 67 mm).
3:18 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein - another dock with sign for "Dürnstein" (telephoto 156 mm).
3:18 PM - Wachau: Dürnstein - another part of town with part of old city wall and last view of Dürnstein Castle ruins, from another angle (telephoto 119 mm).
MT 3:20 PM - Wachau: church in town of Unterloiben (telephoto 76 mm).
Unterloiben (pop. 329) is a village about 40 miles west of Vienna. It is on the left
bank of the Danube, downstream from nearby Oberloiben, both between Dürnstein
and Stein an der Donau. The municipality of Dürnstein consists of the towns of Dürnstein,
Oberloiben, and Unterloiben.
3:24 PM - Wachau: church in town of Unterloiben, with ruins of Dürnstein Castle on hill at left (telephoto 93 mm).
3:27 PM - Wachau: Göttweig Abbey on hill in distance (telephoto 81 mm).
3:27 PM - Wachau: Göttweig Abbey on hill in distance (telephoto 218 mm).
Sift Göttweig (Göttweig Abbey) is a Benedictine monastery near Krems. It was founded
in 1083 by the Bishop of Passau. The main altar of the chapel was dedicated in
1972, but the monastery itself was not until 1083. By 1094, the discipline of
the community had become so lax that the Bishop introduced the rule of St.
Benedict. Göttweig became a famous seat of learning and strict monastic observance.
During the 15th and 15th centuries, the abbey declined, and in 1564 not a
single monk was left. So an Imperial deputation elected a monk from Melk Abbey
as the new abbot, who held the office until 1603. He restored the monastery
spiritually and financially and rebuilt it after it was almost destroyed by
fire in 1580. During the Reformation, the abbey successfully opposed the spread
of Protestantism in the district.
In 1718, the abbey burned down and was rebuilt on a
grander scale, in Baroque style. Since 1625, the abbey has been under the
Augustinian Congregation, now within the Benedictine Confederation. The abbey
has a library of 150,000 books and manuscripts, all of which survived World War
II and its aftermath almost without loss. The monks now number about 45.
The nave of the Stiftskirche (Abbey Church or collegiate church) was originally built in the
Romanesque style in 1072, as evidenced by a porch from the 11th century. The Early
Gothic coir (apse) was built between 1401 and 1430. In the 17th century, the
church was largely redesigned in the Baroque style, including the façade. In
the summer sacristy, attached to the south of the choir, it the main altar of
the church. The original entrance to the church was through the south portal,
which was walled up in the 18th century, but reopened in 2010 as a barrier-free
access. The two-tower façade was not built until 1750-55; the spires were never
implemented, and the temporary blunt roofs of the towers remain.
3:33 PM - Wachau: near Krems - when the Bragi went under this bridge, there was an announcement for people on the sun deck to sit down (the man at the left had not done so yet).
3:34 PM - Wachau: approaching Krems.
Wachau: panorama of Stein district, seen from
town of Mautern across the river: a little to the right of center is the former
Frauenberg Church, next to it the Parish Church of St. Nicholas, after the
poplars the former Minorite church (Von Bauer Karl - Eigenes Werk, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14541663).
Stein an der Donau is a district of Krems an der Donau. For centuries, it was a separate
town and was not attached to Krems until 1938. Like the inner city of Krems,
the inner city of Stein an der Donau is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stein (meaning “stone”) lies on a narrow strip of shore below terraced steep
slopes. Only at its east end, at the Und Monastery, does the settlement area
widen, where it merges seamlessly into the Krems city center.
The oldest settlements in the Krems-Stein area were
not permanently inhabited but go back at least to Neolithic times. The
riverside settlement below the Frauenberg (meaning Ladies’ Hill), on which there
was originally a Church of St. Michael, developed in the 11th century. Stein
was first mentioned in 1144 and became a royal customs post before 1200. In the
late 13th century, the town was expanded, and the city wall was built. In 1263,
the Church of St. Nicholas was elevated to the status of a parish church. Even
in the 14th century, Stein was connected to the neighboring gown of Krems
through a joint town charter and a joint administration. The Capuchins settled
here in 1614 and founded the Und Monastery between Stein and Krems. In 1645,
during the Thirty Years’ War, the city was conquered by the Swedes; the old
city castle, which was located on a hill above the town, was damaged and was
not repaired until it was demolished in 1799.
Wachau: view of Stein, Mautern (on near side
of river), and Göttweig from 1678; the city castle can still be seen above
Stein on the far side of the river; insert at bottom right is Kloster
Kettenwein (Von Martin Zeiller - Digitalisat der UB Düsseldorf
http://digital.ub.uni-duesseldorf.de/content/titleinfo/189687, Gemeinfrei, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13592699).
In 1938, after the “Anschluss” (annexation of
Austria by Germany), Stein was incorporated into Krems. In the Second Republic,
Stein remained part of the city of Krems.
3:34 PM - Wachau: Stein - ruins of castle (mild telephoto 49 mm).
MT 3:31 PM - Wachau: Stein, with former Frauenberg Church and Parish Church of St. Nicholas next to it on the right (mild telephoto 42 mm).
3:35 PM - Wachau: Stein - former Frauenberg Church and Parish Church of St. Nicholas next to it on the right (telephoto 93 mm).
The former Frauenbergkirche (Frauenberg Church), named for the nearby hill Frauenberg, meaning
Ladies’ Hill), is a Gothic hall church from the 14th century, built on a rock terrace
above the Parish Church of St. Nicholas. The construction took place around
1380 and was first mentioned in a document of 1401. The tall church tower with
a domed roof can be seen from afar and characterizes the townscape of Stein. The
tower is popularly known as “Alter Michl” (Old St. Michael), since the present
church is a successor to the Michaelskirche (St. Michael’s Church) that was
located on the same site and first appeared in a document in 1081. The rather
low nave is attached to the tower on the east side. During a renovation in
1963-65, excavations uncovered the remains of an older altar foundation
belonging to the Romanesque St. Michael’s Church and a stone floor that
probably dates from Roman times. After the renovation, the former church was
dedicated as a memorial to those who fell in the two world wars.
The Pfarrkirche St.
Nicholas (Parish Church of St. Nicholas) is the Roman Catholic
parish church of Stein and belongs to the Dean’s Office of Krems. It is located
next to the Frauenberg Church, between it and the river. It was mentioned in a
document from 1263, and the church was a vicariate church of Krems until the
end of the 16th century. The Gothic choir (apse) is from the second half of the
14th century, and the late-Gothic staggered nave is from the second half of the
15th century. It has a late-Gothic western tower. In the 18th century, the
church was given a Baroque style, and around 1900 it was partly re-Gothicized
(neo-Gothic). The nave and choir have massive, double-stepped buttresses.
However, the Baroque bell story from around 1711/1714 has an onion steeple with
a lantern. There was a restoration in 1951.
The former Minoritenkirche (Minorite Church) was consecrated in 1264. Around 1230, the Minorites
founded a monastery in Stein. The monastery church dedicated to St. Ulrich was
consecrated in 1264. The church is a late-Romanesque or early-Gothic
three-aisled basilica with a higher, single-nave long choir (apse) and a south
tower with a Baroque crown. The choir was probably added in the early 14th century.
After a flood and fire around 1440, the south tower was repaired around 1444.
During the Reformation, the church was used as a salt warehouse until 1577 and
was returned to the Minorites in 1592. In 1796/97, the monastery and church
were secularized. The deconsecrated church was then used, among other things,
as a tobacco storehouse and a fire station. Since 1992, it has housed an event
room and a museum.
3:35 PM - Wachau: Stein - former Frauenberg Church and Parish Church of St. Nicholas next to it on the right, with sign for "Krems" on the dock (telephoto 119 mm).
3:35 PM - Wachau: Stein - sign for "Krems" on dock (telephoto 342 mm).
The Viking Bragi was scheduled to arrive at Krems a round 4:00 pm.
Krems an der Donau (Krems on the Danube) is a town (pop. 23,992) about 70 km (43 mi) west
of Vienna. It is located at the confluence of the Krems and Danube rivers at
the eastern end of Wachau Valley. The city is also both a municipality and a
district. The towns of Stein an der Donau and Mautern were absorbed into the
city of Krems in 1938.
Krems was first mentioned in 995, but settlement was
even before that. For example, a child’s grave over 27,999 years old was found
here, the oldest grave found in Austria. During the 11th and 12th centuries, Chremis,
as it was then known, was almost as large as Vienna.
Krems is the primary producer of Marillenschnapps,
an apricot brandy.
Our Viking Cruise Documents did not show any "included" (free) shore excursion at Krems. However, the Viking Daily newsletter showed that a shuttle bus would depart for Krems city center at 4:00 and 4:15 and would return at 6;00 and 6:15. Not knowing about this when we planned our itinerary, we were aware of only the two "optional" (for a charge) shore excursions listed online and in the Cruise Documents. One was for "Gottweig Abbey and Dinner" (4:00-8:30 pm); aside from the higher price for the dinner, we had already seen the Melk Abbey that morning.
So we had decided to pay for the other "optional" excursion "Wachau Valley Winery" (4:00-6:30 pm).
The Viking Cruise Documents described the "Wachau Valley Winery"
excursion as follows:
“Austria’s Famed
White Wines from Vine to Bottle
“Sample fine vintages during a tour and tasting at a
local winery. The Wachau wine region comprises just 3 percent of Austrian wine.
But its reputation for producing the finest wines in Central Europe is unparalleled.
Meet your guide for a scenic drive into the valley, whose unique combination of
terraced slopes, dry stone walls, hillside castles, vineyards and rich cultural
tradition has earned it a place as a UINESCO World Heritage Site. Wine has been
produced here since the time of the Celts, long before the Roman Empire introduced
the Riesling grape. During your winery visit, you will learn how the region’s
grapes amplify the qualities of the earth in which they are grown, tour impressive
cellars and sample wines little known to American palates. This excursion
offers a unique and fascinating glimpse of a prolific viticulture beloved by
oenophiles the world over.”
We went by bus to the Mörwald Winery.
4:25 PM - Wachau: Aldi/Hofer store, from bus window as we passed.
It was not surprising to find an Aldi store here,
since the chain was founded in 1946 by the Albrecht brothers and is still owned
by the German family. The name Aldi is a syllabic abbreviation for Albrecht
Diskont. In 1960, the business split into Aldi Nord (North) and Aldi Süd (South),
and the latter operates in Austria. Its Austrian stores serve as distributor
for Aldi-subsidiary Hofer Telekom, which has a joint venture with a local gasoline retailer for some no-frills
gas stations.
4:36 PM - Wachau: Arriving at "Weinbau Mörwald" (Mörwald Winery).
The Weinbau Erhard Mörwald (Erhard Mörwald Winery) is located in the village of Feuersbrunn am Wagram, Austria (pop. 595). Their
brochure says:
“The Mörwald family has dedicated themselves to
making wine in Feuersbrunn am Wagram, a town with a long history of wine. Erhard
and Angelika run the winery which has been in the family since 1860. Their son
Martin is already waiting in the wings to continue the tradition.
“The Mörwald family currently farms 21 hectares of
vineyards and 65 hectares of fields.” [ 1 hectare = 2.47105 acre]
4:38 PM - Mörwald Winery - entrance for "Verkostung & Verkauf" (Tasting & Sales [gift shop]) (telephoto 105 mm).
4:38 PM - Mörwald Winery - owner Erhard Mörwald and our guide Trinka welcoming us.
Trinka is a short form of Katrina. Our guide told us that she came to Austria from
the US as an exchange student and decided to stay. That explained why her
English was so good.
4:39 PM - Mörwald Winery - owner Erhard Mörwald and our guide Trinka with red paddle for "Viking Bragi 13A" tour group talking.
4:41 PM - Mörwald Winery - owner Erhard Mörwald talking and our guide Trinka.
4:47 PM - Mörwald Winery - tour group with boxes of wine marked for "Viking"; Trinka told us that the winery has a contract for supplying wine to Viking from Passau to the Black Sea.
4:49 PM - Mörwald Winery - "estate" wines (more expensive) that we would taste.
Estate wines denote agricultural consistency. In mot growing regions, “estate” means
the winery controls 100 % of the farming. The grapes might be grown on
different plots of land, and the producer might own some or all of that land.
However, the grapes are farmed by the same entity, called the “estate winery.”
4:51 PM - Mörwald Winery - metal kegs and very large bottles.
MT 4:47 PM - Mörwald Winery - very large bottles.
4:53 PM - Mörwald Winery - cellar with stored bottles.
MT 4:48 PM - Mörwald Winery - cellar with stored bottles.
4:54 PM - Mörwald Winery - stored bottles in cellar wall.
4:58 PM - Mörwald Winery - large vats.
4:59 PM - Mörwald Winery - even larger vats.
4:55 PM - Mörwald Winery - the larger vats.
MT 5:01 PM - Mörwald Winery - Ehrard's still, in which he is making Schnaps.
After the tour of the winery, the tasting began.
5:11 PM - Mörwald Winery - Wine-Tasting List, with cover of Mörwald brochure in background.
5:11 PM - Mörwald Winery - first glass of wine for tasting, the Riesling.
MT 5:09 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard preparing to offer a "Prost" (toast) (mild telephoto 46 mm).
MT 5:31 PM - Mörwald Winery - Don and MT preparing for a "Prost."
MT 5:34 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard drinking wine after "Prost" (telephoto 81 mm).
5:40 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard and Trinka offering a "Prost."
5:40 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard offering another "Prost."
5:45 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard raising his glass with a "Prost," along with the tour group.
5:58 PM - Mörwald Winery - glass of red wine.
MT 5:56 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard with glass of red wine (telephoto 73 mm).
MT 5:57 PM - Mörwald Winery - Trinka speaking with glass of wine (telephoto 100 mm).
6:06 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard brought out a huge wine glass.
MT 6:03 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard with a huge wine glass (telephoto 71 mm).
6:08 PM - Mörwald Winery - large wine glass and normal glasses, for red and white wine (telephoto 119 mm).
6:27 PM - Mörwald Winery - painting of saint bearing grapes by entrance to wine tasting and gift shop.
6:27 PM - Mörwald Winery - Erhard's daughter, who smiled a lot.
6:31 PM - Mörwald Winery - log with a hammer on top; Don asked Erhard what the hammer was for, and Erhard found a bag for nails beside the log but said the thing was to drive nails with the pointed end of the hammer.
6184 Tuesday, August 21, 2018, 6:31 PM - Mörwald Winery - top of log with heads of nails driven in it and hammer on top.
MT 6:29 PM - Mörwald Winery - Don with hammer (pointed end down) in one hand and small glass of red wine in the other.
7:02 PM - between Mörwald Winery and Krems - (another?) Aldi/Hofer sign by gas station, from bus window.
7:22 PM - Krems: our tour group coming back on board the Bragi.
Since we were almost an hour late coming back from our excursion, we got there too late for Joey's 6:45 Port Talk about the next day's excursions and events. However, other guests said that the latest news was that we would sail as far as Vienna and then the company would decide what to do. Joey would tell us at his next Port Talk at 5:30 pm Wednesday.
Dinner on the Bragi (for which we were also late starting) was a "Taste of Austria" with an Austrian buffet and musicians.
The Viking Daily newsletter described the “Taste of Austria” at 7 pm
as follows:
“Join for a hearty Austrian buffet while our
performers charm you with a selection of beautiful melodies and upbeat festive
tunes from Vienna to the Wachau Valley.”
7:34 PM - Bragi: musicians and pretzels at our table; the small black sign says: "VIKING TASTE OF EVENT - CHEF'S TASTING PLATTER - Backhendel [fried chicken], Sauerbraten with Sauce, Käsekrainer [sausage filled with cheese], Rotkraut (stewed red cabbage), Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Brezenknödel (Brezen dumpling), Sauerkraut."
MT 7:31 PM - Bragi: musicians near our table, with buffet line in background (telephoto 65 mm).
At the end of the "Taste of Austria," there was a parade of cooks.
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