Hello dear friends and Happy Tuesday. Make yourselves comfortable, and prepare for travel via your armchair!
“But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.”
Psalm 59:16 ESV
We are glad that you have joined us on the sun deck of the Viking Egil to take in spectacular views of the Wachau Valley as we continue our journey down the Danube River. We had our camera at the ready as we sailed three hours through this enchanting region of southern Austria in which history, culture, and sheer beauty combine to create a picture like no other.
One of many castles along this stretch of the Danube, Schonbuhel Castle stands on the south bank between Melk and Willendorf. Located on the bank directly over the river, this is one of the most photographed castles.
Churches and vineyards are in constant view from the river throughout the Wachau Valley! The valley covers about 24 miles between the towns of Melk and Krems.
St. Michael’s, a fortified stone church…15th and 16th century construction saw an increased use of stone rather than wood.
Spitz is a market town on the left bank of the river. There is a well-used ferry crossing near here! There are so many medieval castles and villages along the Danube that are rich in history that it’s impossible to take it all in! If you missed our first Danube travel post, we invite you can to check out the lovely historic village of Regensburg, Germany, here.
The basic layout of towns in this region was established in the 11th and 12th centuries. Most remain largely unchanged!
Durnstein is a much visited Danube town in Lower Austria. The castle ruins seen here above the town are part of the Durnstein Castle, the place where Richard the Lionheart (King Richard I of England) was imprisoned in the 12th century for 14 months. Duke Leopold of Austria captured Richard in December, 1192!
A better view of the castle and ridges above Durnstein as we moved further downstream!
Gottweig Abbey, constructed in the 11th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that sits high in the ridges overlooking the town of Krems and the Wachau Valley. We enjoyed our tour and the view was spectacular!
An inviting entrance to the abbey’s inner courtyard area.
This is the abbey church which faces the inner courtyard.
The courtyard area was large, and as you can see, surrounded by numerous buildings that contain dozens of rooms. The abbey church was to our right from this viewpoint.
Gottweig Abbey has a library with 130,000 volumes. In addition there are collections of manuscripts, antiques, and rare coins. There is also a tapestry room. The abbey’s graphic art collection includes more than 30,000 engravings, making it the largest private graphic art holding in Austria!
We were welcome to take photos inside the church. Some churches and cathedrals ask that no photos be taken inside. This is the high altar.
The nave, high altar, and pulpit.
The church nave with pipe organ.
In another part of the abbey, above the Imperial Staircase, this impressive ceiling is a must see when visiting Gottweig. The three dimensional appearance of the ceiling as it rises above the windows is an illusion. It is actually flat and not a solid ceiling that we are seeing, but a fresco completed by an artist in 1739!
We’ve mentioned vineyards and the wines of the region (we have some more to show you), but the Wachau is also known for its proliferation of apricot trees. Apricots are plentiful and popular. We were treated to a wonderful demonstration on making apricot dumplings. And of course, eating the dumplings was a natural follow up! Absolutely delicious!!!
We mentioned the view earlier…the abbey has quite a back porch! Krems, the Wachau Valley, the Danube, and the vast vineyards stretch out before you. The abbey owns a lot of timber land as well as about 65 acres of vineyards. Wine has been continuously produced by the abbey since 1083.
The valley’s slopes are bathed in sunlight and the ecology is very favorable to grape production and apricot trees. Although this region only produces about 3% of Austria’s wine output, these wines are renowned, and found in restaurants the world over!
The sunny vineyards on the valley’s rocky hillsides were awesome and offered a different look of unique beauty to gaze over along every stretch and every turn of the river.
Like lakes and rivers everywhere, locals enjoy the Danube for all types of recreation. Boating, skiing, wake boarding, and fishing are part of everyday living on the river. Dining by the water and biking along the shore are also extremely popular.
Melk Abbey is another of the valley’s monasteries. For over 900 years monks of St. Benedict have lived and worked here. The Baroque church has a 200 foot dome and symmetrical towers. This would’ve no doubt been another great place to spend time, but our schedule did not allow!
We have observed vessels traveling through locks, but had never been on a boat that passed through a lock. It was interesting to experience from this perspective. We think the captain told us that we traveled through 11 locks on our journey down the Danube. Most of the passages were at night but several did occur in the daylight. Heading downstream we make our way toward Vienna. We visited Salzburg, Austria in the last travel post. If you missed that post you can find it here!
Make plans to join us in Vienna and Budapest.
Wishing you a delightful week!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
Good morning, Pam and Butch, What a beautiful country and scenery! I’m gobsmacked by the beauty and opulence of Gottweig Abbey. That ceiling….! Can you imagine being the artist that painted that fresco? What talent and gift to be able to paint like that. I bet they could have used a good chiropractor after finishing it. 🙂 The trompe l’oeil affect is amazing, I would never know the ceiling was flat. Thank you for the tour and us inviting along. Happy Tuesday. ♥
Mary, we have been to many churches in Europe and the church in the abbey is definitely stunning. The fresco is truly amazing. I am so glad you traveled with us!
Pam
Oh to sail with Viking down the Danube again. Just being on our boat was worth the trip. It was the first for our boat. I loved sitting on our deck drawing the churches and vineyards etc. Most towns had paths along the river and if the boat stopped I would go for a run. Seeing up close the towns was always a treat. You bring back many wonderful memories. Thanks for the memories.
Alice, we are so happy you are traveling with us and it is bringing back so many wonderful memories. Wow, I didn’t know you were also an artist! Did you frame any from the trip?
Pam
Pam
Drawing is my pastime. I have a book I keep them in. I was a water colorist in the past. Taking care of my husband takes most of my time now.
I know your drawings must be lovely!
The views are spectacular! The church is breathtaking. The ceiling is amazing and the inside of the church is gorgeous. I am always amazed at the intricate details inside the churches and all the architecture outside. I find going through the locks fascinating. We went through the Panama Canal many years ago via a cruise ship. It was so interesting. So much engineering goes into making the locks function properly. Thank you for sharing the beautiful pics and wonderful narrative. I love to armchair travel! Clara❤️
Thank you, Clara. I can imagine how interesting the Panama Canal would have been. Thanks for traveling with us!
Pam
What a great trip and such beautiful scenery. The churches that were built are so gorgeous. The art and talent of the people that built the churches is amazing.
Thanks always for sharing your beautiful trip and pics with us. Have a great week. Hugs. Kris
Kris, it was an amazing trip. I am happy you are traveling along with us!
Pam
Oh my, I loved reliving our trip through your photos! Sailing down the Danube and seeing all those castles was among my favorite parts of the trip. You had the same chef at Gottweig that we did…his apricot dumplings and coffee, yum! The locks were fascinating because I really didn’t understand the concept. We have friends on a Rhine cruise this week. They caught Covid on the Danube when there was daily testing and put off their cruise 2 years ago. But Viking made it right, so I’m hoping they are having a marvelous journey. I am ready to go again! (Pam, Kelley canceled her trip to the Holy Land that was scheduled for February)
Roxanne, I knew you would enjoy seeing our photos. It is hard to pick out just a few from all that we made. I hope your friends are having a wonderful cruise. I think it was very wise of Kelley to cancel. We have been and it is heartbreaking to see all that is going on. Prayers 🙏🏻
Pam
I am enjoying your river cruise so much Pam, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. The castles, churches, vineyards, it’s all so beautiful!! It’s incredible how old some of these buildings are and the Gottweig Abbey is AMAZING! The art and the architecture, and all that gold! I know it must have been overwhelming just standing there, wow~
Jenna
Thanks so much, Jenna. We are so glad you are enjoying the photos. I have the recipe for the apricot dumpling, they were delicious. I may try the recipe and substitute apples.
Pam
“most remain largely unchanged” – the loving, exacting preservation of hard-won beauty through time. What a lesson to be learned from those who created and from those who cherished.
The high altar, nave and ceiling are dizzying to behold. One can truly feel there the impact of
Gottweig. To stay within the Abbey for a spell has got to be Nirvana… Thank you for sharing
these glories of history….you were blessed, indeed, and blessed us in turn. Heritage
Thanks so much, Mary. I think of you when seeing this gorgeous architecture that has withstood wars and time. It is amazing to take it all in!
Pam
Oh thank you so much for sharing your travels. We aren’t able to travel very far from home anymore due to health concerns, so this was such a treat! What a beautiful place. I so enjoyed your historical facts and fun notes! 🤗
I am so happy that you enjoyed. l am so sorry that health concerns keep you close to home. Hugs and prayers!
Pam
Yes, I too say thank you for sharing your travel photos with us. The architecture IS a feast for the eyes! And your historical notes add to the wonder, as we realize how OLD these buildings are, yet appear as beautiful as ever. They’re a testament to the respect and care townspeople give to their history. (We could learn a thing or two from them in our country!)
Yes, we could learn from countries that preserve rather than tear down and build new. Thank you, Nancy!
Pam
Traveling the river with you two, I’m enjoying the historical and architectural wonders you have chosen to share with me! Keep them coming – I don’t have jet-lag yet!!!!!
Yes, the jet-lag is not fun. So happy you are enjoying, Mary!
Pam
Pam, I am really enjoying all of the posts about your fabulous trip. The scenery from the ship is breathtaking! You took some amazing photographs. Gottweig Abbey is absolutely stunning! I am so happy that you were allowed to take photos and share them with us. I can’t wait to read more about your adventures, sweet friend!
I am so happy you are enjoying traveling with us, sweet friend! The scenery was fabulous.
Pam
Pam
Gottweig Abbey — that’s a stunner. But then, the whole journey looks stunning with those wonderful views, beautiful churches and terrific opportunities. This couldn’t have been a lovelier holiday, Pam.
Thanks so much, Jeanie. It was a beautiful journey!
So many pretty photos Pam…I felt like we were right there with you. So many beautiful buildings and the ceiling at Gottweig Abby was awesome. I could spend hours studying the artwork alone. What a lovely holiday.
Thank you, Kari. I am so glad you enjoyed!
Pam, You are a wonderful travel guide! Your narrative is stellar. Your photos are stunning. I vividly remember the beauty of Gottweig Abbey. It was one of my favorite places. We were given a tasting of the apricot liquors. I would have liked the dumplings. The antiques there were also very impressive!
I was out of town last week and over the weekend and away from the computer so I am just now reading your great post.
I am going to look up my pictures to refresh my memory of our trip on the Danube. I do remember going up on the top deck and it was cold and I grabbed a blanket from the deck chairs to wrap around me. I was excited and afraid I would miss something to go back to the room for a jacket. The castles were amazing.
Bonnie, you are most gracious with your comments. The Abbey was incredible. We also had a tasting of sparkling apricot wine. The dumplings were so delicious. We were given the recipe and I am planning on substituting with apples.
oh lovely, lovely. one of the many parts of the world i have never seen. i travel vicariously through your posts, Pam. we had started talking about taking a Viking cruise next year but now I’m not so sure it’ll happen. til then, I’ll keep on appreciating right where we are.
I am so glad you enjoyed!
It is so interesting to see all the sights you experienced! Thank you so much for sharing them all with us here.
Our pleasure, so happy you enjoyed!
We went on a boat ride through some locks on the Erie Canal and it is a neat experience. All the sights from the boat look wonderful! It must be so hard to turn away. I bet those dumplings were delicious.
The views were stunning and a camera cannot capture it completely!