Janice Cruises Europe 2017

Visiting Two Cities: Melk And Krems Austria 5/2/2017   

Day #11 - Melk And Krems Austria (Page Sixteen)

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016 Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

We have two stops today after a 115 miles over night cruise. At 8:00 AM we are ddropped off at Melk and we rejoin the ship at 2:00 PM for a secic two hour sail to Krems where we debark for another two hours in Krems and we are back on board at 7:00 PM for our sail to Vienna.

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

Did You Know? - Melk (older spelling: Mölk) is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,257 (as of 2012). It is best known as the site of a massive baroque Benedictine monastery named Melk Abbey.

The town is first mentioned as Medilica in 831 in a donation of Louis the German; the name is from a Slavic word for 'border.' The area around Melk was given to Margrave Leopold I in the year 976 to serve as a buffer between the Magyars (called "Turks" in that time's sources) to east and Bavaria to the west. In 996 mention was first made of an area known as Ostarrîchi, which is the origin of the word Österreich (German for Austria).

The bluff which holds the current monastery held a Babenberger castle until the site was given to Benedictine monks from nearby Lambach by Margrave Leopold II in 1089. Melk received market rights in 1227 and became a municipality in 1898. In a very small area, Melk presents a great deal of architectural variety from many centuries.

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We asked the Captain if he could get any closer to the city!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We popped on the bus for a quick tour... Better than walking up the hill

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Babenberger Castle (known as the Melk Abbey) has
a magnificent view of the surroundings

Did You Know? - The House of Babenberg was a noble dynasty of Austrian margraves and dukes. Originally from Bamberg in the Duchy of Franconia (present-day Bavaria), the Babenbergs ruled the Imperial Margraviate of Austria from its creation in 976 AD until its elevation to a duchy, and from then until the extinction of the line in 1246, whereafter they were succeeded by the House of Habsburg.

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We tried to stop her but...

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
It was larger than life when we finally reached Melk Abbey

Did You Know? - The Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk, Lower Austria, Austria, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river, adjoining the Wachau valley.

The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the remains of several members of the House of Babenberg, Austria's first ruling dynasty.

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We are about to enter the medieval times

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The year is now 1718

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Once inside the walls, the place is huge

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Click to see the enlarged view

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Must have a fountain!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The craftsmanship was just fantastic

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Click for the full sized image

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Click for a full sized image

Did You Know? - The ceiling painting shows Pallas Athena on a chariot drawn by lions as a symbol of wisdom and moderation. Hercules is to her left, symbolizing the force necessary to conquer the three-headed hound of hell, night, and sin. Both Pallas Athena and Hercules are disguised references to Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI

 

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Click to see the panoramic view from the top

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
A real birds eye view!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
One can see for miles

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Always repairs underway

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The stonemasons had great skills

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The tourists just loved the view

 

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Must be a lot of visitors from the orient?

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We walked the surrounding gardens

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Watch out for the birds

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
They are watching you!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The pavillion is at the end of the garden

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
How many bricks did it take?

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The knitters are closeby

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Tulips pop up everywhere

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Taking a rest Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Back to the bottom of the hill

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
An imposing structure to say the least

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
More measurements of where the river crested in previous years

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
No wonder we had such an amazing view from up there

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
BAck to the ship for a short sail to Krem Austria

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The signs were quite helpful

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Sights to see along the river

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
...and away we go!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The river markers are essential because of the sand

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Many Long Boats come this way

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Built right into the rock for protection

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The churches has a great view even in black & white!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Beautiful tile roofs

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We are passing by Dürnstein

Did You Know? - Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area.

The town gained its name from the medieval castle Burgruine Dürnstein, which overlooked it. The castle was called "Duerrstein" or "Dürrstein", from the German duerr/dürr, meaning "dry", and Stein, "stone". The castle was dry because it was on a rocky hill, high above the damp conditions of the Danube at the base of the hill, and it was built of stone.

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The famous Durstein Chapel

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Located right on the water

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Durnstein-Whaco panorama (Click for full sized image)

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
He was too bust so we could not sit in his seat...

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Love the electronics

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Birds eye view

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The canals are always busy and so is he!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The radar provides a 360 degree view

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Keep up the good work!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
A little culinary class to pass the time?

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Tieing up at Krems

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We are ready to debark

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Welcome

 

Did You Know? - Krems an der Donau [kʀɛms an dɐ ˈdoːnaʊ̯] is a town of 23,992 inhabitants[when?] in Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria. It is the fifth-largest city of Lower Austria and is approximately 70 kilometres (43 miles) west of Vienna. Krems is a city with its own statute (or Statutarstadt), and therefore it is both a municipality and a district.

Krems is located at the confluence of the Krems and Danube Rivers at the eastern end of Wachau valley, in the southern Waldviertel.

Krems borders the following municipalities: Stratzing, Langenlois, Rohrendorf bei Krems, Gedersdorf, Traismauer, Nußdorf ob der Traisen, Paudorf, Furth bei Göttweig, Mautern an der Donau, Dürnstein, and Senftenberg.

Krems was first mentioned in 995 in a certificate of Otto III,[2] but settlement was apparent even before then. For example, a child's grave, over 27,000 years old, was found here. This is the oldest grave found in Austria.

During the 11th and 12th centuries, Chremis, as it was then called, was almost as large as Vienna.

Krems is the primary producer of Marillenschnaps, an apricot brandy.

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Nice size city today but...

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
...it was small in the 1600's

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Mark the time... We have two hours... Walking through
the Steiner Tor gate

Did You Know? - Steiner Tor is a-preserved gate, originally built in the late 15th century but refashioned in the Baroque style in the city of Krems an der Donau, in the Wachau valley of Austria. It is considered the symbol of the city. Until the last third of the 19th century, the city of Krems was surrounded by a wall. This was systematically razed, and three gates were also removed. From 2005, celebrating the 700-year anniversary of the city rights, the Steiner Tor was restored as much to its original as possible.

Outside the portal are towers flanking both sides, which, like the lower floor of the gate, date from the late Middle Ages. On the right of the archway is a small stone coat of arms mentioning Emperor Friedrich III, and the year 1480 in Roman numerals.

This is believed to date the restoration of the fortifications that had become necessary because of the destruction wrought by Hungarian troops in 1477. The tower building dates from much more recently, and dates to the Baroque period during the reign of Maria Theresa, 1756.

Outside the gate, the Steiner Tor was originally threatened by flooding from the Danube. On the inner side of the stone door is a mounted memorial which commemorates such a disaster in 1573. In the immediate vicinity of the Steiner Tor is a shopping centre.

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Flowers abound

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The local courthouse

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Time to shop

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Very nice shops in the markeyplace

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Well decorated


Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The local wine bar is open for business

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The local pub... Looks closed up?

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
The local church is open for business

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
We stopped in for a few minutes

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Back at the Steiner Tor Gate and time to board the ship

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Lots of sightseeing... Time for wine!

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
New friends

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
What else for the afternoon snack? Beer and a pretzel

Melk and Krems Austria 5/3/2016
Overnight to Vienna (Page Seventeen)