Valley of Wachau
In northern Austria, literally an hour's drive from Vienna is the picturesque Wachau Valley. She spread 30 kilometers between the towns of Melk and Krems-on-Danai along the Danube River. Its width on the one hand is limited by the river, on the other – densely overgrown with picturesque vegetation by the hills of the Dunkelsteinwald forest. The highest point in the Yarling Mountain Valley has a height of 960m.
The Wachau Valley is one of the most popular tourist routes in Austria. The presence on its territory of a huge number of historical and cultural attractions has become an occasion for its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Attracts tourists and a well-developed winemaking here.
Monuments of History and Architecture
You don’t have to miss here. The relatively small area of the Wachau Valley is richly strewn with historical architectural monuments, each of which has an entertaining history. For example, the castles of Aggstein and Durnstein, from which only picturesque ruins remained, in the Middle Ages belonged to the noble family of Kühring. Historians argue that representatives of the noble estate easily robbed merchant ships sailing along the Danube, and at the same time peasants living nearby. The Durstein fortress is also known for the fact that at the end of the XII century, by order of the Duke of Leopold, the famous English king Richard the Lionheart, who was returning from the crusade to Jerusalem, was kept here for some time. The king was soon released, and Leopold was excommunicated.
However, most of the rulers of Austria were famous for their piety, along the banks of the Danube there are many churches and monasteries, many of which are still operating. The parish church of Marie-Himmelfart is built in the Baroque style, with an abundance of architectural decor, modeling, unusual color solutions. The blue-white clock tower is visible from afar, it has become a symbol of the city of Durnstein. The interior of the temple is also interesting and rich in unique church utensils made in the distant past. The church is still operating, attracting a large number of parishioners.
Fruit cultivation, viticulture and winemaking
The warm climate and abundance of the sun in the Wachau Valley favor fruit cultivation and viticulture. Wachau is famous for its winemaking: many varieties of – wines from light fruit to noble season are made here. The winery village of Weissenkirchen-in-der-Wachau, where about 1,500 inhabitants live, is famous for its exquisite white wine that matures in local wineries. In addition to winemaking, the villagers are fond of writing paintings, as well as making festive and everyday clothes in folk style. All this can be seen at the Wachau Museum, which operates in Weissenkirchen. Fans of outdoor activities can take a walk and cycling, play tennis and golf, do water rowing and just sunbathe here on the banks of the Danube.
